


Ladynoir July 2020

by macaronsforchat



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Blanc - Freeform, F/M, Kwami Swap, Ladynoir July, Ladynoir July 2020, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Little bit of angst here and there, Post-Reveal Pre-Relationship, Reveal, The Wall Between Us, lots of fluff and blushy teens, one-sided reveal, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:07:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 42,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25016722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macaronsforchat/pseuds/macaronsforchat
Summary: Welcome to Ladynoir July 2020! There's a new prompt everyday, and the prompt list can be found @ladynoirjuly2020 on tumblr!Enjoy!
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 249
Kudos: 203





	1. Day 1 - The Wall Between Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug wants to break through the wall between her and her partner.

“Falling behind already?” Chat Noir called, bringing Ladybug’s attention back to the present moment.

“You wish,” she grinned, pushing herself out of her next jump with extra strength. She watched him glance back at her again, the distance between them shortening. 

She was about to make another remark, probably one about how he seemed a little off himself, but she stopped herself. Before they’d begun their race, she’d seen how his smile hadn’t reached his eyes like usual. She’d thought she’d imagined it at school, but even in the dimming light of sunset it was obvious to her. Something was bothering him more and more as the days went by.

Ever since he’d revealed his identity to her, she’d been watching carefully to see if anything would change. In a lot of ways, it had made things easier. She knew that Adrien wouldn’t be in trouble during akuma attacks because he was fighting beside her. She found herself becoming more and more comfortable around him as Marinette. 

But she had a feeling that not everything was going as smoothly for him. Something had changed for him. She felt a stronger pull from him as Marinette, but as Ladybug, she felt him pulling away. She wanted to ask him about it, but she could never find the right words, always seeming to hit a wall. It seemed like there was a lot more that he was keeping inside, and she could see that it was beginning to weigh on him more and more heavily. It had begun to nag at her too. She’d learned his identity because she was the guardian, and it had thrilled her to discover that her crush had become her best friend without her ever knowing it. She wanted to shout from the rooftops about how happy she was, but knowing that he was struggling made her worry constantly. 

When he’d dropped his transformation that first time, she couldn’t believe the strength of the urge to do the same. She knew she couldn’t reveal her identity to him. Not yet. 

Ladybug shook her head, trying to clear the haze of thoughts that had settled over her mind. She wanted to focus on the moment, having been looking forward to their outing for a few weeks. 

After a few more minutes of traversing the rooftops of Paris, they closed in on their destination, the sun dipping just below the horizon as they touched down. 

“I’d say it was a tie,” she heard Chat say as he labored under his heavy breathing. She chuckled, out of breath herself. 

“I wouldn’t,” she replied, raising an eyebrow at him. She expected him to joke around more, but he focused on catching his breath, so she looked around instead. 

They’d been racing to Parc Monceau, a park that Ladybug had suggested as an option a few weeks back. It was one of her favorite spots to visit as a civilian, and she wanted to experience it with Chat Noir too. 

“Follow me,” she smiled when they’d caught their breath, starting towards her favorite part of the park. Chat walked a pace behind her, remaining quiet. Ladybug tried not to wish that he would crack a joke, biting her lip as she wondered what to say to fill the silence. 

As the crest of the small hill revealed the structure she was so looking forward to seeing, she let herself smile, turning back to gently take Chat’s hand, seeing his eyes widen. 

“Come on,” she grinned excitedly, beginning to walk faster and pulling him along with her. They approached the semi circle of columns surrounding a small portion of the lake, Chat’s hand slipping from hers. She had just pressed a gloved hand to a column, admiring the last tints of orange that reflected off the water. Turning to look at him, she watched his frown deepen, his eyes locked on the ground. 

“Chat?” she called gently, letting her hand fall from the stone column as she turned her whole body to face him. He let out a soft sigh, rubbing his arm absentmindedly. 

“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind,” he told her, not meeting her eyes. She tilted her head, nodding because it was obvious. 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” she asked, and he looked up at her, his eyes flitting away just as quickly. 

“No...maybe?” He groaned, using both his hands to ruffle his hair and then attempt to smooth it out again, staring up at the sky. 

“Start with something small, just to get it out of your system,” she suggested, watching him let out a long exhale. 

“Her smile,” he spoke, his eyes moving to the lake. She blinked at him, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Her?” she wondered, seeing a different kind of fervor light up his eyes. She realized her heart was pounding, her hands closing into fists.

“Her smile is contagious,” he continued, walking forward to stand in between two columns, the water lapping gently at the stone beneath his feet. 

“Recently, she’s been smiling more around me, and I didn’t realize how…” His voice trailed off, and her lips parted, wanting to ask a thousand questions. She heard him take a breath in, shaking his head slightly. She stepped forward, coming to stand on the other side of the column to his right, peeking around it to glance at his face. A small smile was pressed into his cheeks, but he looked pained. He glanced at her, the smile falling from his lips. 

“I didn’t realize how much I loved her smile,” he finished, meeting her eyes again and holding her gaze. Just when she took a breath to ask her burning question, he tore his eyes away, sighing. 

“I’m so confused,” he said, moving to press his forehead to the column separating them. Ladybug touched the pillar gently, wondering if what she was suspecting was right. 

“Who is…” she started, not knowing whether she truly wanted to know the answer. She tensed against the weight of his silence, holding her breath in anticipation. 

“I can’t fall in love,” he breathed out, almost in a whisper. Ladybug wondered if she’d hallucinated it, only able to hear her heartbeat pulsing in her ears as she replayed his words over and over again. 

“I’m in love with _you_ ,” Chat spoke, a clawed hand coming into view as he rested it on the column next to hers. Her eyes widened, a surprised swallow catching in her throat. 

“I’m saying that to remind you _and_ me,” he sighed, sounding almost defeated. Her heart twinged, racing excitedly. She was about to place her hand over his, but he spoke again, stopping her. 

“But Marinette…” she heard from behind the column. Her hand tensed against the stone of the pillar, making sure she wouldn’t collapse where she stood. 

All at once, everything made sense, and the overwhelming urge to release her transformation rushed through her system. But she felt herself hit that wall again, a million memories and harsh warnings replaying in her mind. She couldn’t tell him. 

“I just don’t understand,” Chat sighed, his voice wavering on the last word and nearly breaking her heart. How could she be thinking of rules and dumb traditions when her best friend’s heart was being torn in two? 

Ladybug took a deep breath, trying to ignore the exhilaration that must have been glittering in her eyes. She stepped around the column, drawing his eyes. 

“Maybe I can help you understand,” she said, her voice shaking but her smile growing wider by the second. She spoke the three words, barely able to hear them over the pounding of her heart.

Her transformation dissolved, leaving Chat’s wide eyes to land on Marinette. As she watched a genuine smile light up his face, she felt the wall between them finally disappear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy ladynoir july 2020!! thank you all for reading!! 
> 
> i'm excited for all the prompts this month, and i'm gonna try hard to make them enjoyable for you all! i hope you're all staying safe, and thank you again! <3 
> 
> you can follow me on tumblr as well! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	2. Day 2 - Stargazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir tries to pull Ladybug's attention towards something much more beautiful.

Ladybug put her face in her hands, her cheeks pressing against her palms as she grinned. Clara Nightingale’s evening gown, designed by Gabriel Agreste himself, pooled elegantly at the idol’s ankles, making Ladybug want to swoon. 

“She looks stunning,” she sighed out, hearing Chat Noir’s small laugh from her left. “Can you imagine wearing a _Gabriel brand outfit_ to a gala for a whole night?” she asked, not daring to take her eyes off of Clara, knowing she would _die_ if she missed anything. 

“It’s probably not as exciting as it seems,” Chat grumbled, and Ladybug’s eyebrows shot up to the clouds, an incredulous laugh coming from her wide mouth. 

“Okay, Mister High-Fashion,” she scoffed, considering looking his way but wanting to ignore the know-it-all look he probably had on. 

“Trust me on that one,” he said, joking in a way Ladybug wasn’t familiar with. “And the real stars of the show are above us, anyway,” he told her, and she raised her eyebrows again, finally pulling her eyes away from the red carpet as Clara disappeared into the venue. 

Chat had laid back against the rooftop, gesturing up to the cloudless night sky when she looked his way. She chuckled, squinting and trying to make out more than one star, guessing that the one light she _could_ see was probably a planet anyway. 

“I’m content with watching this,” she replied, resting her hand against her fist as Jagged Stone strutted in front of the line of photographers. “They’re so cool,” she gushed, dreaming of a day when she would be successful enough to be invited to an event like that. 

“You’re cooler than all of them, you know,” Chat said behind her, and she let herself smile, turning her head and showing it to him. 

“I know,” she smirked, and he let out an amused chuckle, its sound being much more pleasant than the photographers fighting for the celebrities’ attention. 

Ladybug took one last look at the crowd, noticing that they were beginning to gather inside. She laid back against the rooftop with her partner, her eyes drifting up to the sky where he was gazing. The sky was smothered in orange from the lights of the city, but a few twinkling lights were shining through when she looked hard enough.

“It’s a shame you can’t see more of the stars,” she said, breathing out slowly as the air around them grew stiller and quieter. Chat hummed in agreement, and she saw him reach around to place his hands behind his head out of the corner of her eye. 

“I wanna run out to the countryside sometimes, just to see them,” he spoke, his voice much softer than the normal one he used to rattle off jokes. Ladybug glanced over at him, his bright eyes scanning the sky slowly. She moved to turn and look with him again, but considering there wasn’t much to see, she stayed on her side, content with watching her partner instead. 

“That sounds wonderful,” she said in reply, watching as the hair that brushed his eyelashes danced in the wind. He smiled a little, and she watched his chest rise as he took in another breath to speak. 

“Finding constellations is my favorite part,” he said, the words leaving a wistful smile on his lips. She studied his expression, never having seen it on him before. 

“Yeah?” she asked, realizing that she was smiling. She pressed her lips together, trying not to let the warmth spreading in her chest show on her face too much.

Chat exhaled slowly, and she could almost see the thoughts running through his head before he seemed to pick one.

“The stars remind me of your freckles,” he said, letting the grin on his face widen. Ladybug felt her stomach flip, not expecting him to say something like that. 

“I wonder how many more you have that I can’t see and how many constellations I could find,” he spoke through his smile, the warmth radiating off his words making her cheeks begin to burn under her mask. 

Chat looked down at her, his smile faltering as he saw her blushing, a hint of red peeking out from beneath his mask as well. 

“I mean, only i-if you’d let me, of course,” he stuttered, and a breathy laugh passed her lips. She’d been shown a lot of unfamiliar sides to Chat Noir, and she couldn’t deny that she wanted to see more. 

“You’re a dork,” she said, watching his wide eyes soften. The smile he gave her, the one that said that he knew there was a lot more that she wanted to say, made her head feel fuzzy. 

Ladybug took a shaky breath in and pulled herself closer to him, letting her head move to gently rest on his chest. She didn’t know if she could handle him looking at her like that again, but as she realized what she’d done, she didn’t know which was more flustering. 

She heard him make a small noise, her hands balling into nervous fists. She was about to pull away and apologize, but she felt his arm come down and wrap around her shoulders, holding her securely against him. Her heart was racing, and being so close to him was creating a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. 

She placed a timid hand on his chest, almost pulling back when she felt his own rapid heartbeat against her fingertips. She let her eyes wander up to his face, their curious eyes meeting and looking away just as quickly. She buried her face in his chest once more, wondering if her heart was going to give out. 

As they laid there together, she realized that she didn’t need to go anywhere else to be seeing stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theyre too cute, i can't
> 
> thank you all for reading! i had a lot of fun writing this one. most of it was written at 2am lol
> 
> stay tuned for more! thank you again for all your support!! <3
> 
> check out my tumblr for more miraculous shenanigans! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	3. Day 3 - In Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug can't help but notice all the similarities between her partner and her crush.

Ladybug had just finished tracing the outline of the cloud that was framed in her favorite shade of pink when he finally arrived. His landing on the roof almost startled her, but she had anticipated his arrival too much to be surprised. 

“Sorry I’m late, m’lady. The math homework was brutal tonight,” he sighed dramatically, and she chuckled, opening her mouth to agree but quickly shutting it. Math homework was always hard. It was just a coincidence that they’d both struggled. Right?

“That’s okay, you’re here now,” she smiled, glad that she didn’t slip up. He just smiled at her, warmer than she expected. 

“Shall we?” he asked, bowing in front of her and readying his baton. She smiled back, grabbing her yo-yo reflexively. 

“After you,” she replied, giving him a curtsy in return. He chuckled, winking before he set off along their usual patrol route. She followed, staying a little farther behind than usual. Her mind was elsewhere, and she found her thoughts drifting back to the other day at school once again. 

_Marinette walked into the locker room, remembering that she’d left her textbook in her locker at the beginning of the day. She was finally able to finish her art project after school, and she’d gotten to see the last few minutes of Adrien’s fencing practice._

_“Hide! Someone’s coming!” Marinette heard in a whisper, her eyebrows furrowing as she pushed the door open further, thinking that everyone had left the locker room already._

_Adrien stood by his locker, staring at his fencing bag like it was about to grow legs and walk away._

_“Oh, hi Adrien,” Marinette smiled, glancing around and seeing that Adrien had been alone. He raised a gloved hand to the back of his head, smiling nervously._

_“Hi, Marinette! Didn’t know you were still here! Oh, is that the time? I’ve gotta be getting home. Okay, bye!” he said, rushing his words and walking past her quickly before she had the time to respond or even react. A small breeze rustled her hair, and she blinked at the spot he’d been standing in just seconds earlier. A giggle passed her lips._

_“That was weird,” she said, hearing the clasp on her purse open and glancing down at Tikki. “It was like he had a little friend in his bag or something,” she joked, laughing a little more until she realized what she’d said._

_If Marinette hadn’t been watching closely, she would’ve missed the brief panic that flashed in Tikki’s eyes._

_“Tikki?” she prompted, and the kwami blinked, trying to look innocent._

_“Hm?” the little creature asked, making Marinette even more suspicious._

_“What was that?” Tikki’s eyes narrowed, a look coming over her that Marinette knew all too well. Especially recently._

_“Marinette. You can’t be looking for Chat Noir,” she spoke firmly, and Marinette deflated subconsciously, her lips pressing into a firm line._

_“I’m not trying to, Tikki, I’m really not,” she sighed, pressing her hand to her hand. Her mind felt so jumbled when things like that came up._

_“Good,” her kwami said, not seeming completely convinced._

_Marinette walked to her locker, grabbing her textbook and leaving the school without another word, but her mind was louder than ever._

The memory made Ladybug’s stomach uneasy all over again, her eyes glued to her partner as he traversed the rooftops with ease. She tried everything she could not to think about it, not to question it, not to keep replaying all those moments that seemed suspicious. It was hard to deny that she was curious about it all. About him. 

Before she could distract herself again, they landed at their first stop to catch their breaths. She was more fatigued than him, and he watched her, stretching a little. 

“Wanna rest for a few?” he asked, and she glanced up at him, nodding. He immediately plopped down onto the rooftop, and she let herself tiredly collapse into a sitting position as well. She worked on regulating her breathing, but she didn’t know if her heart would get a break, her eyes locked on him like she didn’t have a choice. 

Ladybug was glad he was watching the sunset. Something about the way the slanted rays of sun reflected off his golden hair was particularly distracting, and she didn’t realize how intently she was staring until his emerald green eyes caught her. She looked away quickly, awkwardly pretending to stretch as the color of Adrien’s eyes made its way into her thoughts. 

She felt like she’d been turned upside down. She wasn’t nervous around Chat. What reason did she have to be? But with her suspicions about him being Adrien growing stronger and stronger, imagining her crush basking in the glow of the sunset in front of her was enough to give her butterflies. 

“How’s your week been?” she blurted out, her brain one step ahead and working on a distraction. She couldn’t look at him, but she saw his smile falter a little out of the corner of her eye. 

“The same as always,” he sighed, his voice deepening ever so slightly. Ladybug allowed herself to look at him once more, tilting her head.

“Yeah?” She’d heard so many vague things about his life, but none of them seemed to be something he enjoyed. It made her heart ache for him. 

“Yeah.” He glanced at the roof beneath him as he drew a pattern with his claw. “I wish my schedule wasn’t so strict,” he sighed. “I just wanna be able to hang out with my friends more than once a month.” Ladybug felt her heart stutter. The look in his eyes, the slant of his mouth, the set of his shoulders, the words that made her heart hurt. It was all Adrien. 

_No!_

She brought her hands up to her face, slapping her cheeks hard and trying to snap herself out of it. What was she thinking?

“You okay?” Chat asked her, blinking confusedly. She flashed him a smile, feeling her cheeks tingle. 

“Yeah!” she chuckled, and he laughed along with her, a warm smile emerging just for her. 

“I wish I knew you behind the mask,” he sighed, and she tensed, staring at him with wide eyes. “It would be fun just to hangout at your house or play video games together or something,” he mused. She could have sworn she saw Adrien sitting in front of her just then, saying that to her and making her heart go crazy. 

She knew she shouldn’t be imagining it, but she was. Every coincidental moment, every possibility that she’d tried to eliminate. All of it came crashing down on her. 

Ladybug opened her mouth to speak, not sure what was going to come out, but he beat her to it. 

“Should we call it quits for tonight? You seem pretty tired,” he said, and she blinked at him, closing her gaping mouth. 

“Uh, yeah,” she breathed, trying to calm herself. “Sorry.” He chuckled lightly, the sound all too familiar when she really listened. 

“You head on home, then. I’m gonna stay here and think for a while,” he smiled, turning to face the sunset and giving her a small wave as she stood to leave. She watched him, biting her tongue and wishing he didn’t have to look so sad. She forgot to move, not wanting to go even though she knew it wasn’t right to stay and keep feeding her dangerous thoughts. 

Chat turned to look at her, furrowing his eyebrows in unspoken questioning. She studied his face, hesitantly giving into a selfish thought.

“Can I stay?” she asked, and he blinked at her blankly.

“What?” She took a shaky breath in, fiddling with her hands behind her back. 

“Can I stay with you?” she asked again, feeling her stomach do a somersault when he lifted his hand and ruffled the hair on the back of his head.

_Adrien._

“Y-yeah. Of course,” he nodded. She sat back down next to him, much closer than before, and tried not to smile too widely.

Marinette knew that she wouldn’t be able to deny it anymore, but then again, why would she want to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one was fun but kinda rough! took me forever to edit asdfghjkl
> 
> thank you all for reading! i'm so grateful for all your support <3 <3 <3 <3 
> 
> stay tuned for more! im excited to write tomorrow's :D
> 
> follow me on tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	4. Day 4 - Disguises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir finds his lady in an unexpected place.

Chat adjusted the hoodie that hung off his shoulders, noticing that it a little looser than he’d expected it to. A yawn rose from his throat, and a clawed hand instinctively came up to cover his mouth, just like he’d been taught. He quickly put his hand back in the pocket of his sweatpants, glancing over his shoulder and being grateful that the two guys behind him were still distracted by their conversation. 

He rocked back and forth on his feet, whistling the tune of the piano piece he couldn’t quite memorize, wishing that any other song would have been stuck in his head at that moment. He kept trying to force the theme song for _Ultimate Mecha Strike IV_ to repeat in his head, but he’d been unsuccessful even though he’d watched the teaser trailer an innumerable amount of times that day. 

Glancing once again at the banner that hung above the doors to the video game shop, Chat’s ears perked up under his hat. He was so excited for the game to finally come out, and he’d never been to a midnight release before. Letting his grin spread even wider, he looked over the long line in front of the store, his eyes catching on someone standing a few groups of people ahead of him. 

At first glance, nothing stood out to him about the person. They looked pretty stiff, but he was guessing that was because they were alone in line. But when his eyes rolled over their frame once more, the streetlamp hanging overhead highlighted the dark pigtails that stuck out from under the slouchy beanie perched on their head. 

An even warmer smile spread across his lips, the one that appeared when he got distracted thinking about _her_. He wondered if it could really be his lady standing just ahead of him in line, their conversation about video games coming to mind, but he dismissed the thought. He guessed that she probably would just buy the game digitally, like most of his other friends.

Chat looked away, wondering what time it was but not able to check his baton in front of everyone. He couldn’t wait to get home and play the game, hoping that some of his friends from school would pick it up too. 

He continued to wait impatiently, clicking his tongue and tapping his feet. For some reason, his eyes kept wandering back to the stranger with the pigtails in front of him, and for a few seconds, he wondered if maybe it was Marinette. He almost entertained the thought, but he couldn’t imagine Marinette wearing such baggy clothes in public. 

After a few more minutes, he wondered if he was doomed to wait forever, wishing he’d brought something to do other than be tortured by the endless piano piece in his head. 

The stranger shifted at that moment, adjusting their hat, and Chat’s eyes locked onto them automatically. Their arms rose as they stretched, lifting the hoodie above the waistband of their sweatpants. He expected to see skin, but red, dotted spandex peeked out instead. Chat blinked in surprise, watching wide-eyed as Ladybug finally turned and their eyes met. 

She stopped mid-stretch, her disguise doing little to cover up her bewildered expression. She lowered her arms, one of them coming down to point at him, her eyes narrowing accusingly. He scoffed at her disapproval, pointing a finger back at her with his eyebrows raised in questioning. She looked him up and down, pressed her lips into a tight line, and then burst out laughing. He couldn’t help but join her, ignoring the looks he was getting and holding his sides when they began to ache. 

When they both were able to speak again, Ladybug gave up her position in the line to come and stand by him, still giggling behind a gloved hand. 

“What are you doing here?” she wondered, and he chuckled at her, tilting his head as he got a closer look at her disguise. They were pretty much matching, from the baggy hoodie and the drawstring sweatpants, but she’d tucked her pants into some Ugg knockoffs. She’d also gone the extra mile and worn a scarf around her neck, even though the mask from her suit was still very visible. He couldn’t do much about his mask either. 

Chat couldn’t deny the feeling that was spreading into his toes and his fingertips. He was so surprised that she was actually there, but he wasn’t surprised at the tingly feeling in his chest. Somehow, seeing her there made him think that there was no limit to how much love he could have for her. 

“Isn’t it obvious, bugaboo?” he teased, making her roll her eyes. 

“I meant what are you doing here looking like _that_?” she asked, poking his chest with one finger and then pinching the fabric of his hoodie and pulling it slightly to draw his attention to it. He smirked to himself at her expression, the one where she thought she was being so clever. 

“We’re dressed exactly the same, if you hadn’t noticed,” he spoke, leaning a little closer to her and glancing down at her dark blue hoodie. She blanched, looking down at herself and letting her hand fall from his chest. 

“It’s so comfortable I forgot I was wearing it,” she admitted, the tiniest of pouts appearing on her lips as she gazed back up at him. It made his heart skip a beat, wondering how she could be absolutely adorable even in the slouchiest of clothes. He held back a giggle, seeing that a few people were staring at them intently. 

“I don’t know how well these disguises are working though,” he said, watching her glance around like he just had. 

“How long until you think people notice?” she asked, glancing at the watch on her wrist. He shook his head, wondering how she was always prepared for everything as a warm smile came and threatened to stay. She looked absolutely ridiculous and completely adorable all at the same time, standing there in line with him for the midnight release of a video game. He realized then that he could never be in love with anyone as much as he was in love with her. 

“Only three minutes til midnight,” she said, pulling her sleeve back over her watch and looking up at him, doing a double take at his lovestruck expression. “What?” she wondered, blinking at him. He chuckled, leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. 

“You’re amazing,” he told her, watching as a slight blush rose into the skin where his lips had been. She closed her mouth quickly, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at the sky. He’d never seen her get flustered quite like that, but maybe it was a good thing. His heart felt like it might burst, looking at her standing there not knowing what to do. 

“It’s j-just a watch,” she mumbled, making Chat’s chest fill with warmth and laughter erupt from his lips. 

There was no disguising his complete adoration for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asdfghjkl theyre absolutely adorable and i would die for them
> 
> thank you all so much for reading! sorry for the late post today, but im having a lot of fun writing this month! 
> 
> check me out on tumblr too! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	5. Day 5 - Banter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two superheros like to joke around on their time off.

Chat took the last fry, leaving Ladybug to watch him eat it mockingly and roll her eyes. She placed their bag of garbage out of the way, leaning her head against his shoulder and looking out at the city. 

“Hey, have you thought about adding more of your designs to your website yet?” he asked abruptly, glancing down at her and hearing her sigh. Her website had seen some traffic when she first debuted it, but since then, no one had really shown interest. That was fine by Marinette, but it was hard to find the motivation to upload anything new.

“Not yet,” she replied, feeling his arm slip off her shoulders. He gently pushed her forward and away from his shoulder, moving to sit in front of her and place both hands on her shoulders. 

“You really should! I know people would love it if they could just see more of what you have to offer,” he said, expecting her to deflate or come up with an excuse, but a smirk pushed the corners of her mouth up instead. 

“You just wanna see me model more cute clothes,” she teased, and he cracked a smile, removing his hands from her. 

“That’s always a perk, but I’m serious,” he said, watching her tilt her head thoughtfully. 

“I know right? That dress I made the other day really compliments my body’s natural curves,” she said smoothly, and Chat blurted out an, “I know!” before he could think. A bright blush appeared on his cheeks, his lips forming a tight line. 

“Mari, that’s not the point,” he said sternly, trying to hide the embarrassment in his voice. She laughed lightly, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, bringing his attention to her face. She was blushing too. 

“I can even help you out again,” he offered to change the subject, holding a gesturing hand out to her and raising his eyebrows. She glanced at his hand, tapping her chin. 

“That could be fun,” she mused, earning another smile from him. “But you can’t model with me,” she added, removing his grin immediately. His ears drooped, his hand dropping back into his lap. 

“Why not?” he whined, and she opened her mouth to speak immediately.

“You’ll just outshine me,” she said, tilting her head and trying to look innocent as his eyes narrowed at her. 

“Not possible,” he retorted, keeping his eyes piercing into her. She sighed, laughing.

“It is! You’re like that sun from the Teletubbies,” she told him, and he furrowed his eyebrows, letting out a breathy laugh. 

“The baby?” he asked incredulously, another laugh of disbelief interrupting him, but he continued when she nodded fervently. “What? Why? I am not.” She laughed, covering her mouth but sitting up on her knees in preparation to argue her point. 

“No seriously! You’re a big ball of sunshine, and you’re like a little baby!” she said. He pouted jokingly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I am _not_ a baby.” He expected more giggles from her, that being his goal, but she gave him a flat look, one that told him he was probably about to be proven wrong. 

“Adrien Agreste, yesterday you _cried_ because you dropped your slice of buttered bread,” she said lowly, not showing a shred of emotion when he gasped in offense.

“You _know_ the laws of physics hate me!” he exclaimed, scoffing at her unamused stare. “It landed _butter-side down_!” he groaned, feeling slightly better when she burst out laughing, bending over and pressing her forehead against the blanket they’d laid out, snorting loudly. He couldn’t help but laugh along with her, happy to see her so carefree. 

When she composed herself again, wiping the stray tears from her cheeks, she looked at him again, still letting out a few giggles. 

“Really, though, you don’t wanna model with me?” he asked, gauging her reaction. She gave him a soft smile, her cheeks flushed from laughing so hard. 

“I just wanna try and promote my work _without_ the help of Paris’ most dreamy model,” she said lightly, but he could hear the serious undertone in her voice. He narrowed his eyes, deciding he’d keep joking with her for the ‘dreamy’ comment. 

“Oh I know!” he said excitedly, seeing her blink in confusion. “I’ll ask my father to get you to model with me in _my_ photoshoots! Then everyone will be so interested in you,” he suggested jokingly, and she stared at him blankly.

“I can’t believe you have two pairs of ears and you _still_ can’t hear,” she sighed, shaking her head. He put his hands behind his ears, making them face forward.

“What?” he asked loudly, making her push his shoulder and chuckle, rolling her eyes briefly.

“Really, kitty. This is something I wanna do on my own,” she repeated, and he paused the teasing for a moment, giving her a soft smile.

“I think you’ll do great, bugaboo,” he told her, watching her face light up in a warm grin. 

“Thanks.” He reached over and planted a quick kiss on her cheek, hearing her shy giggle so close to his ear just before he pulled away. She watched him for a moment, giving him a look that made his stomach wanna knot itself until it could never be untied.

“You could still help me with taking the photos though,” she said after a few moments of making his heart go wild, and he was glad for the distraction from her eyes that seemed too blue to be real. 

“Really?” She went to nod, but then frowned, scrunching her nose up. 

“Mmmm…” she hummed, and he blinked at her. “But only if you’re not annoying,” she dragged out, and he mimicked her, scrunching up his nose. 

“You’ll just have to deal with me,” he told her, and she groaned dramatically, turning and falling over, her head landing in his lap. 

“You’re only in it for that dress, aren’t you?” she asked, faking tears and covering her face, making him laugh and lean closer to her. 

“Guess the jig’s up,” he said, gently taking her hands away from her face and feeling his heart jump when she looked up at him with her big, blue eyes. She giggled a little, cementing the fact that he would always be a sucker for her, and he kept moving closer, seeing her eyes drifting towards his lips. 

Just as their eyes fluttered closed, their lips brushing, a loud explosion sounded off, making them both jump. They sat up, looking across the city and seeing a plume of smoke rising towards the sky. Chat looked back at her, seeing that her expression had shifted at a moment’s notice. Determination filled her every move, and he felt a little disappointed as she moved to stand, taking her yo-yo from her hip. 

“One kiss?” he asked, standing to meet her and watching her face soften again when their eyes met. She hesitated but then sauntered towards the edge of the roof, stopping just before she jumped and looking back at him. 

“Come and get it, sunshine,” she said, winking and making his knees almost give out on him. But he just laughed and followed after her, determined to earn it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asdfghjkl i loved writing this and rereading it after i finished was such a treat
> 
> thank you all for reading! let me know what you thought! you support means so much <3
> 
> check out my tumblr :D [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	6. Day 6 - Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug decides to return the gesture.

Ladybug perched herself on top of a chimney, glancing around at the streets beneath her. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be too much going on in the city, so she decided to head home and get started on her homework. She’d needed to blow off some steam after school. 

Taking one last look, she pulled her arm back and prepared to throw her yo-yo, but she stopped at the sight of a couple rushing towards each other in the street below. She thought that maybe there was trouble, but when she saw their faces, it was obvious everything was fine. They seemed a little older than her, and they both were overjoyed at the sight of each other. They kissed each other’s cheeks, and then the brown-haired one brought a rose from behind their back, making the other melt and hug them tightly. 

Ladybug observed quietly, something gently nudging at her that she couldn’t place. She watched as the couple walked away together, and as they passed just below her, she heard the one talk about pressing the rose into their journal when they got home. 

She nearly gasped as she realized why the whole situation had drawn her in, thinking back to the night that Chat Noir had given her that rose on the rooftop just next to her house. Hearing that they’d wanted to save the rose made her heart ache. 

When she’d gotten home that night, she’d put the rose in a vase and placed it on her desk. As the days went by, it wilted and finally died. She didn’t know why it made her so sad, but she couldn’t bring herself to remove it. Her mother had come up to her room while she was at school to collect her dirty clothes and cleaned up the rose for her, thinking that she’d simply forgotten. She knew she couldn’t blame her mother. After all, it was her fault for not preserving it. 

The couple disappeared from sight, Ladybug’s chest feeling hollow. She didn’t know why a simple rose had felt so special to her. Chat Noir had given her multiple roses, but that night, the air around her, around him, it had all felt a little different. 

As she raced back home, she tried to put the thought out of her mind, but another one came to replace it. She realized that she was starting to hope that she would receive another rose from her partner so that she could finally save one of them. Shaking her head, she stopped thinking that way immediately, knowing it was unfair. The last thing she wanted to do was play with his feelings. 

Ladybug glanced around before diving into her skylight and detransforming, lying down on her bed as Tikki hummed to herself and flew off to find something sweet to eat. Marinette just sighed, staring at the ceiling and realizing she’d lost the motivation to do her homework. She couldn’t get the memory out of her head. Chat being so close to her, her heart racing, the way he’d kissed her cheek before he left. 

Marinette covered her face with her pillow, wondering why she was getting so flustered. Chat had talked about having a girlfriend now, and she didn’t want to expect him to give her a rose again anyway. 

_"Your friendship means everything to me."_

A warm smile snuck onto her lips, and an idea popped into her head. Sitting up quickly in bed, she checked the time, seeing that there was an hour before their nightly patrol. She figured that she might as well work on her homework while she waited, but even as she tried, her thoughts wandered towards their meeting spot in anticipation. 

Just before the sun began to set, she climbed up to her balcony, carefully taking a rose from her rose bush. Her smile was growing wider as the minutes passed, and as she transformed to make her way towards her partner, she couldn’t help the excitement that coursed through her. 

As their meeting spot came into view, she grinned, seeing that she’d beaten him for once. Touching down on the roof, she held the rose behind her back, giggling to herself. 

“Something funny, m’lady?” she heard, nearly jumping out of her skin. Chat had landed only a few seconds after her, scaring her senseless. Normally she’d scold him, but she composed herself and breathed out, smiling.

“Hi, Chat,” she said, and he blinked at her, seeming confused but not questioning it.

“Evening, bugaboo,” he smirked. She could tell he was trying to feel out her mood by using that nickname, but she couldn’t bring herself to be upset. 

“I have something for you,” she spoke, holding back a smile. His smirk grew into a goofy grin, his eyes widening. 

“For _me_?” he asked in disbelief, and she nodded, taking a deep breath and revealing the rose from behind her back. 

Chat’s eyes softened, a soft gasp passing his lips. He didn’t move, his eyes glued to her gift in awe. 

“I wanted to remind you how important you are to me,” she told him, having thought of that line after finishing a hard math problem. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and the warmth waiting there for her made her skin flush, her heart jumping. Suddenly, she didn’t remember anything else she’d wanted to say, wondering why that look had dissolved her confidence so quickly. 

“B-because we’re partners,” she stuttered, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “And you seem to really like roses,” she continued, biting her lip as she tried to regain her composure. Chat stepped forward, his hand extending to receive the rose from her. 

“Thank you, Ladybug,” he spoke in such a soft voice that it surprised her. He stared down at the flower, looking so happy that she wondered why she hadn’t gifted him something sooner. 

“You’re welcome, Chat,” she smiled, some clarity finally returning to her mind. “I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about our friendship today. And…” she said, trailing off. He grinned up at her again, and she interpreted the strange feeling in her chest as the urge to hug him.

“No one could ever replace you,” she finished, clasping her hands together to try and quell some of her nervous energy. He searched her eyes for a few moments and then let out a breathy laugh, placing a hand on his head.

“I don’t know what to say,” he said, glancing down at his gift and then back up at her, looking so happy that it made her want to tear up. 

“Thank you, really,” he smiled. She almost stepped forward and asked for a hug, but he started walking backwards, grabbing his baton. 

“Can you wait for me, m’lady? I want to drop this off at home,” he told her, and she chuckled, her cheeks aching from all the smiling.

“Of course,” she nodded, staring after him as he vaulted away. The air felt so much cooler with the sun finally set and with his smile gone, but knowing that he would come back kept her heart racing in her chest. 

She pressed a hand to her heart, furrowing her eyebrows and wondering why she felt so indescribably happy. Everything felt so bright and weightless, and she couldn’t place why the feeling was so familiar.

As she waited for him patiently, Ladybug wondered if she’d gotten herself into trouble, but if she was that happy, was it really trouble?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all if this was canon i'd cry for days
> 
> thank you all for reading! your comments make my day!! <3


	7. Day 7 - Interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir spend a moment together after a stressful interview.

_‘Prime Queen’s’ interview, but Ladybug and Chat Noir are secretly dating._

~~~~~

Ladybug landed hard, wobbling but seating herself on the couch, fixing her hair and putting on her best smile. 

“I thought you decided to stand me up, m'lady,” Chat Noir smiled, and she turned to look at him, her anxiety dying down a little just at the sight of him. It had felt like years since she’d seen him last, but in reality she knew it had only been a few days, if that. 

“And let the audience down? Never,” she smiled, gesturing with her hand and turning back to the host sitting across from her. “I'm sorry I'm so late, Nadja.” Mrs. Chamack looked stunned, but then she seemed to be listening for something anxiously, Ladybug’s eyes shifting to her earpiece.

Ladybug herself was pretty nervous about the interview. People wanted to know so much about her and her partner, but there was almost nothing personal they could tell them. She had a sinking feeling that Nadja would pry, but Ladybug wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. 

She was also anxious about leaving Manon alone with Alya, but she tried to put that out of her mind. 

As Mrs. Chamack introduced herself and the show, the two heroes waved to the camera. 

“Thanks so much for accepting this exclusive live interview,” Nadja said enthusiastically, and Ladybug smiled, ready to respond. 

“Well, thank _you_ Nadja. We're honored to be here,” she said truthfully, hearing Chat Noir sit up beside her. 

“And hello to all my fans,” he said in a silky voice, blowing a kiss. Ladybug didn’t have to look at him to know that he’d winked, and she kept her giggles in, rolling her eyes briefly. She could tell that he’d said that particular line just for her, thinking back to him raving about all his ‘fans’ the other night because he’d known she would laugh. 

“I'm sure thousands have tuned in to watch you tonight,” Nadja smiled, and Ladybug smirked, letting out a breathy laugh. 

“Don't encourage him Nadja, or the cat won't stop purring all night,” she said, glancing over at Chat and seeing him shoot her a warm look. 

“Don't listen to her. Bugaboo's just a spot jealous,” he retorted playfully, gesturing and smiling at Nadja. When he looked back to her, probably expecting her to play along, she felt her stomach clench, her eyes widening at him. 

“Hey, I thought we agreed on no more Bugaboo calling,” she said lightly, trying not to alert anyone else that she was feeling panicked. Chat blinked at her, and she tried her best to communicate her thoughts through her eyes. 

“Right,” he laughed, dropping his hand back into his lap. “My bad.” Ladybug let out a relieved sigh, both of them turning back to Nadja in hopes of changing the subject. The host was staring down at some sort of watch, and Ladybug worried at her bottom lip. 

Ever since they’d started dating, they’d agreed that they needed to keep it a secret. There were a million reasons why, and although she wanted to be able to kiss her boyfriend whenever she wanted, she wanted to keep him safe too. 

It was easy to slip into routine and tease each other, but it was important that there and then they did leave any room for suspicion. She’d mentioned it to Chat when she’d seen him last, but that had felt like so long, and she guessed that he was just as happy to see her as she was to see him. A gentle nudge in the right direction was sure to keep everything in check. 

Nadja laughed somewhat nervously, trying to smile fully.

“It's obvious you two are _very_ close,” she commented, and Ladybug tensed once more, subconsciously reaching up and rubbing the back of her head. She let out a short laugh, thinking of how to diffuse that statement but not coming up with anything adequate before Nadja continued. 

“People know you, but they don't _really_ know you. We see you saving Paris, but we don't know anything else about you,” she spoke, and Ladybug felt the muscles in her shoulders tighten, pressing her closed fists into her thighs. Where was she going with this?

“Well we do have to keep a few secrets, including our identities of course,” she said quickly, trying out a smile and hoping it didn’t look too forced. Nadja glanced back down at her watch, and Ladybug furrowed her eyebrows. 

“Absolutely,” Nadja laughed nervously, glancing away. Ladybug could hear something coming from the host’s earpiece. Knots were beginning to form in her stomach. Something didn’t feel right. 

“Uh, Ladybug, Chat Noir, um, so a lot of fans think of you as a couple of superheroes. But also, and I quote, unquote, as a couple. Period,” she said, becoming more confident as she spoke. Ladybug jumped in surprise. 

“What?” she asked incredulously, hearing Chat Noir make a choking noise beside her. That was exactly what she didn’t want to hear. 

“Can you confirm that you're dating, here, tonight?” Nadja grinned, making Ladybug feel like the air in the room was trying to asphyxiate her. Chat Noir had sat up from leaning back against the couch, and although she hadn’t looked at him, she could feel his eyes on her. She fumbled for words for a second.

“I'm _very_ sorry Nadja, but we're superheroes. We're not here to answer such personal questions,” she spoke sternly, feeling heat rising into her cheeks from anger and embarrassment. It felt like the whole studio had been turned upside down in a matter of seconds. 

“She’s right,” Chat said next to her, and she turned to him briefly, giving him a small smile. She was thankful that at least he was on her side. 

“We're here to assure all Parisians that they're safe and that it's only a matter of time before we defeat Hawkmoth, that's all,” Ladybug reaffirmed, trying to calm herself and not let her emotions show through. Nadja pursed her lips, and more buzzing came from her earpiece. Ladybug scrunched up her nose a little, guessing that what she’d said hadn’t gotten through to their host. 

“Fine. How do you explain these photographs then?” Nadja asked, swiping once on her tablet. The screen next to them lit up with a nightmare, a photo of her saving Chat Noir from Dark Cupid’s curse. 

Ladybug felt her stomach drop as Chat’s jaw dropped, his ears sticking straight up.

“ _What?_ When did that happen?” he asked in disbelief, and Ladybug gasped, realizing that she still hadn’t told him about that. 

“I was saving you, not kissing you!” she blurted out, trying to rush a conversation that she should have had with him months ago. 

Nadja grinned, swiping on her tablet again and making Ladybug feel like the room was spinning. More and more photos appeared on the screen. Him carrying her when she sprained her ankle, her tackling him out of the way and landing just wrong, them blushing when their hands got a little too close. She was horrified, but she felt a little relief knowing that none of the pictures held any real weight. They were always careful to hide before they kissed each other senseless or pulled each other in for a much-needed hug. If any photos like that got out, it would be all over for them. 

But Ladybug was still livid. 

Standing up quickly, she drew Nadja’s attention away from the photos. She’d just said something about being in love, but Ladybug’s heart was pounding in her ears much too loudly for her to really hear. 

“These are just a bunch of photos taken out of context! We're only doing our job,” she spoke tensely, feeling an intense urge to run away from the whole situation. “We save the city together every day, we're not a couple!” Chat Noir was silent behind her, and she hoped it was because he was still in shock.

“Why won’t you tell the truth?” Nadja asked, standing to meet Ladybug and making her feel even more like she needed to bolt. She couldn’t ignore the desperation in Nadja’s voice either.

“But it _is_ the truth, Nadja,” she said, her nails digging into her palms as she clenched her fists. Nadja glanced out behind the cameras, her eyebrows furrowing together. 

“C'mon, the audience awaits your answer,” she said almost tauntingly, like it was all some game. Ladybug felt like she could burst with all the anger bubbling up inside of her, holding back a growl.

“This interview is so over,” she said between gritted teeth, turning and locking a hand around Chat’s upper arm. He was hesitant at first, but then he stood up, her hand falling as she realized she wouldn’t have to drag him along. 

“Hey! Wait you two, the show is not over yet. Your fans will be disappointed if they don't get an answer,” Nadja said as Ladybug practically stomped off the small stage, Chat trailing after her. She wanted to say a million things to Mrs. Chamack, but she composed herself, taking a deep breath and turning back towards the cameras that had swiveled to watch them leave. 

“If they’re our true fans, they’ll understand,” she said, pulling the door open and leaving through it.

“The lady’s right,” she heard Chat say, his voice sounding darker than usual. He caught up to her as she pushed open the window at the end of the hallway, using her yo-yo to swing out and into the city. She raced across the rooftops for a few minutes, hearing Chat following a little ways behind her. Once her boiling blood simmered down a little, she stopped, taking a deep breath as she landed. They’d ended up near the edge of the city on top of an apartment building. There were no lights, just the dim glow of the moon.

“Hey, are you okay?” Chat asked, walking towards her. She sighed, turning to look at him and walking forward, meeting him halfway in a tight hug. 

“That was _awful_ ,” she spoke against his chest, feeling his head come to rest on top of hers. His arms reached around and held her tight. 

“She was willing to do anything to make sure her show would be a success,” he sighed, rubbing the area between her shoulder blades gently. She breathed in his scent for a little longer, and then pulled away. 

“Thanks for having my back,” she smiled lightly, seeing his bright eyes soften down at her. 

“Always, m’lady,” he purred, and she smiled wider, reaching up and pushing some of the hair from his eyes. 

“I missed you, kitty,” she told him, her heart beginning to race for a different reason when he leaned into her touch, not taking his eyes off of her. 

“You can read my mind too? Wow, you must be the most amazing girl ever,” he teased, his hands moving to her sides as he tickled her playfully. She laughed, the stress that was emanating from her just minutes ago floating away with the breeze. It was always so easy when she was with him.

Ladybug grabbed his hands, admiring his cheeky smile. 

“Think anyone is watching us?” she wondered, glancing around briefly. He blinked at her, tilting his head a little.

“Probably not out here. Why?” he asked, and she smiled, blushing a little. 

“Because…” she breathed gently, standing on her tiptoes and placing a quick kiss to his lips. He smiled widely as she pulled away, wrapping his arms around her before she could fall back onto her heels. He leaned down, kissing her once more and making her cheeks light up bright pink. 

Their lips moved in sync, and the fact that they’d both missed each other badly was evident. She pulled away first, their breath mingling as they pressed their foreheads together. She blinked at him, seeing a strange look on his face.

“Hey, speaking of kisses…” he said, searching her eyes for a moment before she realized what he was asking about and let out a giggle. He waited for her to stop laughing, but she just leaned against his shoulder, her laughter continuing in lieu of an explanation. 

“I’m genuinely confused!” he whined, and she laughed harder, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. He gave her a cute pout, not helping her to stop laughing. 

Even though Ladybug would look back on the interview with a frown, the way he’d held her afterwards was only one example of how he would always be on her team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooh i liked writing this one! i love doing what if’s and retellings! let me know what you all thought :D
> 
> thank you so much for your support!! <3
> 
> check out my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	8. Day 8 - Kwami Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mister Bug and Lady Noire are finally getting the hang of using their partner's miraculous.

“Pound it!” they both smiled, gazing into each other’s eyes for a little longer than they’d intended. Ladynoire looked away first, starting to move over to the man who sat on the ground looking perplexed. 

“You’re okay now,” she smiled, squatting down to his level and offering him a hand.

“Thank you,” he said hesitantly, glancing between the two superheroes and smiling. 

Once they’d made sure he would get home safely, they turned back to each other. She smiled to herself when she thought back to the battle. They’d swapped miraculouses for a while, wanting to practice and expand their skill set. She also thought that it would be good for them to see a fight from the other person’s perspective. 

Usually she’d be dead tired and ready to sleep after dealing with an akuma, but seeing how proficient they’d become with each other's powers had energized her all over again. She would have been stumped if she’d received the lucky charm that he had, but Mister Bug had known how to use it within seconds. And when she’d figured out a way to use her Cataclysm, she had looked over to her partner and seen that they were on the exact same page. It was exhilarating. 

“We’re pretty good at this,” she said, watching his smile widen to match hers. He chuckled, shrugging and nodding. 

“We also look pretty good,” he said playfully, posing dorkily. She let herself give his suit a once over like she didn’t already know how good he looked. 

“Some more than others,” she teased right back, shooting him a wink. Even though she started blushing immediately, it was nothing compared to how it would usually be. She was always amazed at the effects that the Black Cat miraculous had on her. 

Mister Bug, however, went as red as his suit, stumbling over his words for a few seconds before she began to giggle at him. It was unfair for him to get even cuter, but somehow he always surprised her. He covered his face with his hands for a moment, shooting her an adorable frown when he dropped them back at his sides. 

That was enough to make her blush rise to try and match his, so she turned away, trying to think of something else to say. 

“So, uh, Plagg told me that sometimes you threaten to never give him cheese again,” she blurted out, that thought being the first that came to mind. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her long braid brushing against her back. “He can’t be that bad.” 

“You’ve been hanging out with him for almost a week now. Tell me honestly that you haven’t wanted to tear your hair out at least once,” he responded, his cheeks returning to a normal color. She pretended to think, tapping her chin. 

“Actually, I haven’t. He’s really well behaved,” she said, watching Mister Bug’s eyebrows shoot upwards. 

“Seriously?” he asked, staring at her in disbelief. She shrugged one shoulder at him, smiling playfully. He narrowed his eyes at her, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Yeah? Well, Tikki told me that you trapped her in a cup when you two first met,” he shot back, making her giggle a little remembering it. 

Looking at her partner, she wondered if he knew how cute he was. She also wondered if he knew that he got a thousand times cuter when she teased him. 

“Plagg also told me that you hide pictures of me in your trophies,” she said, watching his eyes become wider than she’d ever seen them. 

“He told you that?” he asked, sounding breathless. She let out a short, loud laugh followed by small giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. She didn’t want to tell him right away that when Plagg had told her, she’d jumped up and down and squealed like she was the happiest girl in the world. 

“I think it’s cute,” she said through a chuckle, watching his open mouth close suddenly. He was blushing again, and she realized her heart was racing just watching him.

But when her ring beeped at her, her smile faded quickly. It always felt like the time they spent together was cut short. She heard his earrings beep from across the rooftop, their eyes meeting as the joking air died down. 

“You were fantastic today,” she told him as a beginning to a goodbye, crossing the space between them to stand in front of him. He gazed down at her, and she smiled, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek gently. She felt like she’d used up all her confidence at that point, blushing as she turned away from him quickly and started to walk off.

Before she made it even two steps away from him, she felt his arm wrap around her waist, gently pulling her back. He kissed her cheek in return, their eyes meeting when he pulled back. 

“So were you,” he said quietly, both of them bright red with pounding hearts. Their miraculouses beeped at them once more, his hand slipping from her waist. 

“I-I’ll see you at school,” she said stiffly, unable to tear her eyes away from him. He stepped away from her, letting out a small laugh and finally breaking their eye contact. Pulling his yo-yo from his waist and throwing it, he glanced back at her once more. 

“Can’t wait, m’lady,” he said just before winking. He jumped and let his yo-yo pull him across the city, leaving her to melt into a blushing mess on the rooftop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a rough one, but i hope you all enjoyed! thank you all for the support! it means so much to me asdfghjkl


	9. Day 9 - Fist Bump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir would never forget to fist bump after an battle. Right?

It started with a fist bump. The intonation of his words was spot on, and he looked proud of the work they’d done just like usual. But when she moved to press her fist to his, she wasn’t met with the same force as usual. She watched as his smile faltered for a second, but they were too pressed for time for her to ask about it. Besides, he’d probably just gotten distracted. 

During the next battle, Chat’s mind seemed like it was anywhere but where they were. Ladybug had to push him out of the way multiple times, and he rushed in to attack without thinking more than she’d ever seen before. She wanted to scold him for being careless, but everytime she tried she saw a deep sadness swirling in his eyes and forgot about being angry. 

As the days passed by, she started getting worried. He showed up to patrols looking exhausted, and there was a constant emptiness in his stare. But whenever she asked him if he was okay, he would just flash her a smile that almost seemed genuine and say, “Of course, m’lady!” She didn’t press him further, but she wondered if he knew that his answer never convinced her. 

One night after they’d finished dealing with an akuma, Ladybug leaned in for a fist bump, but when she looked across at her partner, she realized that he wasn’t even looking at her. He’d forgotten. She stared at him, feeling a pit form in her stomach. 

“Chat Noir,” she called gently, letting her hand fall back to her side. He turned to look at her, his furrowed eyebrows raising slightly in an attempt to trick her into thinking he was okay.

“Oh, sorry,” he chuckled humorlessly, raising his fist towards her. She watched him but didn’t move.

“What’s going on?” she asked, seeing his face darken again. He let out a quiet sigh, dropping his hand and turning his head away. He was silent for a few moments, but she was patient.

“My father…” he started, and Ladybug was both relieved and distraught. He was finally opening up to her, but hearing that his father was causing problems for him again only upset her more. 

“He keeps threatening to take me out of school. More and more everyday,” he spoke roughly, his eyes trained on the ground. Her heart twinged as she thought of Adrien. She’d noticed that he’d also seemed down lately. 

“Why?” she asked aloud, Chat’s eyes meeting hers briefly. He looked away just as quickly, putting both his hands on his head and sighing. 

“He thinks my friends are bad influences on me,” he spoke, a hint of anger lingering his voice. She tilted her head, thinking how similar his situation was to Adrien’s. Her head started to feel fuzzy, so she pushed the thought away, trying to focus on listening to her partner.

“I was finally able to make friends, and I don’t want to lose them,” he said, his voice breaking towards the end. He shook his head, the look on his face making her heart feel heavier and heavier. 

“You’ll always have me, no matter what happens,” she told him, taking a few steps forward and drawing his eyes to her. He gazed at her, exhaling slowly and then giving her a small, genuine smile. 

“Thank you,” he spoke softly, and she returned his smile, opening her arms and offering him a hug. He hesitated for a moment but then stepped forward into her embrace, both of their hearts accelerating in their chests. 

“You know you can always talk to me, right?” she said as her cheek pressed against his shoulder. He chuckled lightly against her and then let go, giving her a smile that finally alleviated some of her worry.

“Yeah. Thanks Ladybug.” As she stared up at him, she wondered why she felt like there was more she wanted to know. She didn’t want to pry, and neither of them could stay for much longer anyway.

Both of their miraculouses let them know that it was time to go, but she found herself wishing that time would stop. It was a strange feeling but not unwelcome. 

“Good luck, kitty,” she said, watching as more light returned to his eyes. He smiled again, and she’d never been happier to see that he was okay. 

“Thanks, m’lady,” he replied, both of them waving goodbye and taking off in opposite directions. 

She was relieved that she’d been able to be there for her partner, and she knew that as long as they had each other, they would be able to get through anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading! im not super proud of this one, but i know that not all of these will come out perfect, and that’s okay! 
> 
> thank you for all your sweet comments as well! 
> 
> stay safe! <3


	10. Day 10 - Breakdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug breaks down when Chat Noir sacrifices himself once again.

Chat Noir blinked his eyes open, finding himself standing in the middle of a street. The sun was already setting, but it felt like no time had passed since the battle had started. He looked around briefly, glancing over his shoulder and seeing Ladybug rushing towards him.

He turned to meet her as she barreled into him, both of them stumbling backwards. He caught her and held her arms as he steadied himself. 

“Stop _doing_ that!” she yelled into his chest, and he realized that she was hugging him. Quite hard in fact. 

Chat was confused for a moment before he remembered what he’d done. The akuma for the day, Levigater, was one of the more violent villains they’d faced. Chat had jumped in the way of Ladybug in an attempt to save her, and based on the confused man sitting on the ground behind them and the fact that he had been brought back to life, his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. 

Obviously, Ladybug had other thoughts on the matter. 

“M’lady?” he called, her forehead pressing into his chest. He tried to pull her away gently, but she wouldn’t budge until the normal herd of reporters began calling their names. She pushed herself away, and he almost missed her wiping tears from her face. He considered scooping her up and fleeing the scene, but she’d already been asked a question and looked like she was ready to answer.

“The akuma’s name was Levigater,” she replied, her voice calm and even, unlike what he’d heard just moments before.

“It seems as if you beat this supervillain all on your own,” Nadja said, all eyes burning into Ladybug. She furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at Chat briefly before opening her mouth to answer.

“Actually, without Chat Noir’s sacrifice, I wouldn’t have been able to capture its akuma,” she responded, gesturing to him and bringing a few microphones towards his mouth. 

“I was just trying to protect her,” he said quickly, seeing Ladybug’s face fall briefly while the cameras were on him. 

“So you didn’t really help,” one reporter commented, and Ladybug scoffed, reaching into the crowd and taking the reporter’s microphone so she could be heard clearly. 

“Of course he did. I would have preferred if we’d found a way to work together, without him sacrificing himself, but because of him I was able to restore all the damage that was done,” she clarified, handing the microphone back and turning to look at Chat. She gave him a small smile, but he couldn’t deny that her eyes looked pained. 

Their miraculouses beeped simultaneously, and Ladybug waved everyone goodbye. They scaled the closest building, beginning to run back towards the heart of the city. Usually, they would say their goodbyes when they needed to part ways, but after jumping across a few rooftops, Ladybug called his name. 

Chat stopped, landing next to her and shooting her an expectant look. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He watched tears form in her eyes, and she promptly buried her face in her hands, a sob echoing off the chimneys and parapets around them.

His heart felt like it could burst, and he rushed over to her, taking her in another hug. 

“I’m sorry,” he sighed, moving to hold her closer but letting his arms loosen when she started to push away. She looked up at him, her cheeks red and her eyes swollen. 

“I honestly didn’t know if I was going to be able to bring you back!” she exclaimed, immediately making him feel worse. “You stupid cat,” she cried, leaning her head on his shoulder and hugging him again. That line coming from her almost made him smile, but to see her so upset was hurting him a lot more than what he’d felt when he’d sacrificed himself. 

“I’m sorry,” he said again, feeling like his throat could close up. Part of him wanted to cry with her, but he didn’t want to make her feel any worse.

“Next time I’ll make a plan with you,” he told her, hearing her small sniffles against his chest. 

“You better,” she spoke softly, sniffling once more before pulling away from him. He watched her wipe her tears, knowing that worry was written all over his face. 

“I don’t…” she started, sighing and shaking her head for a moment. She looked at him and then away, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“I don’t like thinking about doing this without you or with anyone else,” she admitted, looking at him through her eyelashes. His heart jumped in his chest, wanting to take that as a sign that she cared about him as more than a friend, but he knew he was just getting too excited. He moved to reply, but she opened her mouth to say more.

“I care about you so much, and to see you do that so thoughtlessly is just…” she said, trailing off and looking like she wanted to start crying again. Again, he pushed down his heart that was so eager to think about her falling in love with him. 

“It’s not thoughtless,” he told her, seeing her eyes narrow at him. “It may be hasty, I’ll give you that, but it’s not thoughtless. The thought of you getting hurt or disappearing is what makes me do it,” he explained, watching her face soften a little only to pout at him a second later.

“Well stop,” she said, and the firmness of it made him chuckle. 

“I can’t stop caring about your well-being,” he said, putting his hands on his hips.

“And I can’t stop caring about yours either,” she retorted, raising her eyebrows a little. He shrugged, tilting his head at her. 

“Okay, I get what you’re saying,” he relented, and she let her arms come to rest at her sides again, seeming less upset than before. 

“You sure? You don’t need me to smack more sense into you?” she asked, lifting her fists into a fighting stance. He laughed gently, seeing her smile again and feeling the weight on his heart lessen. 

“I think I’m good,” he said, pushing her fists down to her sides. He let his smile fade naturally, speaking up again when it was gone. “It means a lot that you care about me so much. I’ll do better, okay?” She stared up at him, smiling in relief. 

“Thank you,” she breathed out, sounding so much happier than before. He smiled back at her, wondering how he could fit so much love in his heart and still have room to gain more for her. 

“Do you need help getting back home?” he asked to distract himself from how much he wanted to hug her again. She scoffed playfully, raising one eyebrow in his direction as she took her yo-yo into her hand. 

“You don't even know where my house is, alley cat,” she teased, making him laugh. 

“It’s the perfect opportunity for you to tell me,” he smirked, seeing her roll her eyes with a smile. 

“In your dreams,” she said in a sing-song tone, throwing her yo-yo and letting it pull her away from him. 

He stared after her, remembering how much she cared for him and being glad that she wasn’t there to see him grinning like an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one definitely felt a lot easier to write, and i hope you all enjoyed! thank you for reading!
> 
> stay safe! <3 
> 
> check out my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	11. Day 11 - Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug tries her best to comfort Chat Noir after the reveal of Hawkmoth's identity.

Ladybug could tell what face he would be wearing by the shape of his shoulders against the orange of the sky. She tried to land behind him as softly as possible, but his ears were already turned towards her even though they’d pushed themselves low against his hair. 

“Hey, kitty,” she spoke softly, watching him stand up from where he was crouched at the edge of the roof. It was a beautiful view, but she doubted that he’d been thinking about anything else but _that._

Chat turned to face her, and she saw that her guess was right. His eyebrows were pressed down into hard lines, his lips were in a straight but deep frown, and he looked like he’d been crying. It felt like pieces of her heart were being ripped from her chest every time she saw him that way, but she knew that if he could feel any other emotion, he would.

The day they’d found out Hawkmoth’s identity was undoubtedly the worst day of Adrien’s life, and what made it worse was that they didn’t know how to stop him yet. They needed a plan, and a plan that would work needed time and focus. 

But Marinette knew that planning wasn’t what Adrien needed at the moment. He needed time, but he also needed a friend. 

Ladybug walked towards her partner, hugging him gently and not being surprised when he didn’t hug her back. She wished more than anything that she could take even a fraction of his hurt from him, but since she couldn’t, she chose to be there for him. 

She’d invited him out that night to make sure that he was doing alright and because she knew that he was almost never at his house at night. She hoped to take his mind off everything even if it was only for a mere moment. 

“Any trouble today?” she asked as she pulled away, seeing that his dull eyes were boring into her.

“No,” he almost whispered, his lips barely moving. She gave him a small smile, pressing a hand to his cheek tentatively. 

“Thank you for coming,” she spoke, taking her hand away. Sometimes he hated being touched by anyone, but other times all he wanted was to be held. She could tell that in that moment it was the former, and she didn’t want to push his boundaries. 

“Is there anything you wanna do?” she asked, stepping away and giving him his space. He looked up at her and furrowed his brow more, signalling that her question wasn’t a very thought one. 

“Sorry, uh,” she said, glancing away to think. She’d been so worried about him that she’d forgotten to plan something. 

“You choose, please,” he spoke quietly, and she eyed him, glad that she was able to hear his voice. He didn’t say too much anymore, but when he did, it was music to her ears even if it was angry, bitter words that came out. 

“Okay,” she smiled, pursing her lips as she ran through a list of things that they could do. She thought of a joke about robbing a bank, but she knew it wouldn’t have any affect on him. 

“Have you eaten today?” she wondered, seeing the shift in his eyes as he looked away and knowing that he hadn’t. 

“Can we get something to eat?” she asked, tilting her head a little and giving him a sweet smile so as to try and reduce the chances of him refusing. He gave her a weak shrug, and she nodded, readying her yo-yo. Luckily, they weren’t too far from the bakery. 

Before she moved to jump, she glanced back at him. 

“Are you okay to follow?” She’d noticed him getting skinnier than he already was, and she didn’t want him to hurt himself. He let out an exasperated sigh, his eyes narrowing. 

“You don’t have to baby me Marinette,” he said hoarsely. She blinked at him, knowing better than to be offended or put off. She wouldn’t have half the amount of emotional control as him if she were in his situation. 

It surprised her when he sighed again, dropping his head a little. 

“Sorry,” he breathed out, and she smiled, shaking her head when he lifted his eyes back to her. 

“No worries, chaton,” she replied, moving for him to follow. She heard him trail behind her as she made her way to the bakery, seeing that it was nearly closing time. The sun had already set, the streetlamps flickering on as she dropped towards the ground.

Landing just in front of the door, she pulled it open and smiled to herself when Chat followed her in without hesitation. She remembered him telling her that he always felt at home there, and she hoped that he would feel that again. 

“Ladybug?” Sabine asked in disbelief, holding her heart. Marinette smiled behind her mask, seeing her dad walk up to the register and place a hand on his wife’s shoulder. 

“Hello,” Ladybug smiled, giving them a polite wave. “Sorry to come in just before closing time.” Sabine waved her off as Tom wiped his hands on his apron, beginning to walk towards Chat with a cookie in his hand. 

“How are you doing, son?” he asked, clapping a hand on Chat’s shoulder and shaking him a little. His eyes went wide, but Ladybug tried not to watch him too closely.

“Fine, s-sir,” he answered, sounding a little more normal as her dad offered him the cookie and explained how it was fresh out of the oven. She smiled, walking over to Sabine. 

“Can I get a few more of those cookies, some passionfruit macarons, and some chocolate croissants?” she asked, seeing Sabine flash a smile before slipping a plastic glove onto her hand. 

“Sure, sweetheart,” she said warmly, and Ladybug giggled quietly to herself, loving to see her mom act so sweet. 

As she waited for her pastries, she glanced back at her dad and Chat, seeing that Tom was handing her partner a small brown bag with the bakery’s logo on it. He said something under his breath to Chat, and she watched him glance at her briefly and then back at her dad. It was almost a shock to see a blush rise into his cheeks. She hadn’t seen that sight in what felt like years. 

But when she watched his lips curl up into a small smile, she thought that maybe she was the smartest person in the world for thinking to bring Chat there. She felt her heart racing and wondered if there was anything she loved more than seeing him smile. 

Sabine got her attention again, refusing to let her pay and sending her back over to Chat. Following closely behind, her mother leaned over and patted Chat’s cheek.

“Stop by anytime, honey. We’re always baking something, and we’re always happy to share,” she told him, and Ladybug watched some of the despair leave his eyes.

“Thank you,” he replied before the two of them left the bakery. Waving back to her parents, they jumped up onto the nearest roof with their treats, and Ladybug recognized it as the spot where Chat Noir had set up the candlelit dinner for her. Looking at her partner, she could tell that he knew the spot as well, but he didn’t meet her eyes. 

“Thanks for coming in with me,” she said to break the silence, sitting herself down next to where he stood and watching him lower himself into the spot next to her. She busied herself with taking a chocolate chip cookie from her bag, moving to take a bite of it when she realized that Chat was holding the bag he’d been given towards her. 

“What’s this?” she asked, taking it from him and looking up for an explanation. He watched her for a moment and then looked away, a familiar but rare glow appearing in his eyes. 

“Mr. Dupain said that, uh,” he started, pausing to clear his throat and try again. “He said that you order one of those every time you stop by and that if I gave it to you, you’d fall in love with me,” he told her. She took a second to breathe in the color of his voice. She hadn’t heard him say that much in weeks, and to hear such sweet words with such a warm tone was almost enough to bring her to tears. 

All she could do was laugh a little, opening the bag and seeing a single strawberry danish waiting for her. It was her second favorite pastry from her parent’s bakery, but she never ordered her true favorite for secret identity’s sake. 

“Thank you,” she breathed out happily, looking up to another gift as he smiled down at her. 

“Maybe it’s a good thing that he doesn’t know I already love you,” she chuckled, taking the treat out of the bag carefully. “Because these are really good.” She watched another blush move onto his cheeks, and she couldn’t help the smile that had been glued to hers. 

“You know that, right?” she asked after she watched him look away from her. Their eyes met once more, and he looked slightly confused. “That I love you,” she clarified, tilting her head. He blinked at her quietly, taking in a deep breath before nodding and letting another smile shine through. 

“I love you too,” he replied gently, making her heart throb against her ribs. She basked in his smile for as long as she could before looking away and breaking the danish in half. She offered it to him, and he took it, biting into it immediately. 

They ate in comfortable silence, and when everything had been eaten, she realized that she probably could have gotten him some healthier food. She stared up at the moon and made a note in her head to take him some soup in the morning, but her thoughts were interrupted. 

“Thank you,” he spoke unexpectedly, drawing her eyes to him. He was already looking at her, and she smiled. “For making me feel better.” She smiled more, nodding.

“That’s what I’m here for,” she told him, leaning close to him and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. She hoped that she hadn’t made him uncomfortable, but when he pulled away, she saw him smiling again and thought that maybe she really was extra lucky.

“Yeah,” he sighed, his smile coloring his voice in a bright tone. “And it works every time.” Her heart jumped at that, and she couldn’t help but let out a relieved laugh.

Everything would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh this was so cute and so fun to write. i realized a few minutes ago that i know ill be happy with what i wrote when i can see the events of the story happening vividly in my head. like i can see them in the bakery and i can see them with their little bags of pastries. and im happy with this one <3
> 
> thank you all so much for reading! i appreciate every kudos, and your comments give me so much motivation to write!
> 
> stay safe! 
> 
> here's my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	12. Day 12 - Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has a nightmare that she doesn't think could feel anymore real.

“Chat Noir!” she screamed, watching him fall further and faster towards the ground. She threw her yo-yo hard, wrapping it around his waist. The jolt of catching his weight yanked her towards the edge, and she struggled against it. Suddenly, something struck her back and she stumbled, losing her balance and pitching off the edge.

She was falling faster and faster. There was nothing for her to latch onto. The ground was coming at her. Where was Chat Noir?

Suddenly, Marinette gasped herself awake, sitting up in bed quickly and choking out a sob. She held her face in her hands and cried, feeling her whole body shake violently. She wasn’t a stranger to nightmares, but she didn’t usually have such vivid ones. 

She struggled to find her phone, wincing against the light of the screen as she tried to focus on taking deep breaths. Dialing Chat’s number, she pressed the phone to her ear and prayed that he would pick up. 

After three rings, he answered, groaning a little.

“M’lady?” he asked, and she sighed out, letting her head fall onto her knees. “What’s wrong?” He sounded more awake already. 

She breathed out, a few more tears slipping out as the scene replayed over and over in her head.

“I had a bad dream,” she told him, sniffling. She heard rustling and something that sounded like Plagg, probably complaining about the noise. 

“I’m okay,” Chat said, and she furrowed her eyebrows, watching Tikki coming to rest on her shoulders. 

“I didn’t even say anything,” she told him, wondering how he could tell that he’d been in her dream. 

“I know. I can just tell,” he said softly, and she sighed, telling herself over and over that she had been dreaming and that everything was okay. “What happened? If you wanna talk about it,” he asked, tacking the last comment on quickly. She glanced at Tikki and chewed on her lip.

“You fell, and...I couldn’t save you,” she said quietly, feeling another wave of dread wash over her when she remembered how read it had felt. 

“I’m still here,” he said like it was a fact that would never change. And she wished with all her heart that he was right. “And I’m not going anywhere.” She took a deep breath and nodded, smiling when she thought of her partner laying in bed in his pajamas taking her 3 am call. 

“You should be getting back to sleep though. Sorry to wake you,” she said, feeling herself calming down as he chuckled. She could already feel herself getting tired again, and crying had worn her out all over again anyway. 

“Come over if you need to, okay?” he said, and she let out a light laugh, shaking her head. 

“If I knew where you lived, you mean?” she asked, and he chuckled along with her.

“You’ll know one day. Goodnight, m’lady,” he said softly, and she let out a smile. 

“Goodnight, kitty. Thanks again,” she said before hanging up and laying back down. 

When she drifted back to sleep, she felt safe knowing that Chat Noir was okay and that it had all just been a dream. 

Until it wasn’t. 

Ladybug threw her yo-yo towards the akuma, trying to knock off its balance as it teetered on its stilts, but it was no use. She yelled for Chat, and he knew exactly what she needed, pulling the villain’s attention and letting her call for her Lucky Charm undisturbed. 

“A grappling hook?” she mumbled to herself, glancing around and sighing in exasperation when nothing came to mind. She tucked the Lucky Charm away and moved to help Chat, both of them hitting the akuma with everything they had. 

It was only midday, and the akuma had interrupted her math test. She hadn’t been able to focus anyway, so at least it was a change of pace. Still, she wasn’t in the mood for a fight on the top of a skyscraper after the dream she’d had the night before. But she was trying her best to put it out of her mind and keep going.

Wrapping her yo-yo around both of the akuma’s stilts, she yanked hard and thought that she would finally down the villain, but she’d given too much slack. The akuma flipped effortlessly back onto its feet, pulling on her yo-yo string and forcing her to the ground. 

Ladybug looked up quickly, watching as her partner was knocked off the edge of the roof, his baton clattering to the ground only a few feet from her. Her eyes went wide, panic striking deep in her stomach as she heard his helpless yell grow distant.

“Chat Noir!” she exclaimed, pushing herself from the ground and rushing towards the edge as the akuma laughed triumphantly. He was falling too fast, and the déjà vu she felt almost distracted her from taking action.

She threw her yo-yo, catching him around the waist and feeling time freeze as she realized what was about to happen. She turned to watch the akuma begin to shoot another charge at her, and as she took a second to breathe in and think, she knew what she needed to do. She couldn’t let what had happened in her dream happen again. 

Ladybug waited until the akuma had already aimed, tightening her hold on her yo-yo string and jumping off the edge of the building. She pulled out her grappling hook, throwing it as best as she could with her non-dominant hand and feeling a wave of relief shoot through her as it hooked onto the edge. The weight of herself and Chat Noir below her shot a jolt of pain through her arm, but she held on tight, refusing to give up. 

She looked down at Chat Noir, seeing that he was already moving to break through a window and get into the building. The akuma let out an angry screech as she felt Chat Noir detach himself from her yo-yo. She pulled it back, knowing that the akuma would move to disable her grappling hook quickly, and she threw her yo-yo as an anchor instead, lowering herself down and into the window where Chat Noir was waiting for her. 

“Thanks,” he breathed out, looking slightly frazzled. She felt some of the adrenaline wearing off, rushing up to him and hugging him tightly. 

“You’re okay,” she smiled, feeling the tension in his muscles fade. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer, making her heart jump a little. It was a strange feeling that she didn’t have time to think about. 

“You saved me this time. I’m proud of you, m’lady,” he said gently, his breath tickling her ear. She pushed herself away, thinking that maybe bringing back the memory of her dream was what was making her nervous again. 

“I’m glad you’re safe,” she smiled, ignoring how the warm smile he was giving her made her feel tingly. Was she losing circulation in her arms because of how tight she’d held onto her yo-yo and the grappling hook?

“Let’s get you recharged, and then we’ll show that akuma who’s boss,” he smiled, and she couldn’t help but return it, ignoring the beeping of her earrings to watch him and think about how happy she was that he was still there. 

“Okay,” she agreed before closing herself in a nearby closet to detransform. 

As she pulled out a cookie for Tikki, she wondered why she couldn’t stop blushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asdfghjkl smitten with the kitten
> 
> thank you all for reading! i know i say it often but i really am thankful for all your support and love! it helps me find motivation to write <3
> 
> stay safe!


	13. Day 13 - Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two superheros share a bed for the night.

“I’m gonna detransform, okay?” 

Those four words brought her back to reality, back to where she was standing, back to how tense she felt. 

“A-are you sure? You wouldn’t rather sleep in your suit?” she asked, laughing nervously. He smiled knowingly, shaking his head a little. She watched the hair bounce on his head, biting her tongue and wondering how she’d gotten herself into such a situation. 

“I have my mask on underneath, m’lady. Everything is going to be fine,” he smiled, and she wanted to believe him even though her heart was beating out of control. She slowly nodded, letting him know that he could go ahead, and his smile widened.

“Plagg, claws in,” he spoke gently, and the words made her stomach do a flip, her hands coming up to cover her eyes in panic. She squeaked, squeezing them shut behind her hands just in case.

Ladybug heard him laughing and then start moving closer. Plagg grumbled something, but she was too busy trying to drown out her deafening thoughts to be able to make it out. 

“Hey, it’s just me,” he said, trying to reassure her. Despite all the years they’d spent together fighting evil, she was still just an anxious teen when she got scared. 

She felt his hands, his _bare_ hands, wrap around her wrists gently. She let him pull the shield away from her face even though she was still freaking out. She trusted him, and if he said it would be okay, it would be.

Blinking her eyes open once more, she was met with the face of her partner, of Chat Noir. The only thing that had changed was that he wasn’t wearing a tight black suit and instead had opted for some Ladybug-themed pajamas. Other than that, it was the face of her best friend, and seeing his warm smile for her calmed her nerves.

“Think you’ll be okay, bugaboo? Or am I too handsome?” he asked, a smirk replacing his kind smile. She squinted her eyes at him, shaking his hands from her wrists and scoffing. 

“Keep dreaming,” she said, turning her head a little to try and hide the fact that his comment had made her blush slightly. 

“Speaking of dreaming, you should detransform too. I don’t know about you,” he started, a yawn interrupting him and drawing her eyes back to him. It was unfair of him to be so cute when he was tired, but she tried to reason that she’d seen him like that before so there was no reason for her to be so enamored. Then again, if it distracted her from being so scared about detransforming, maybe it wasn't so bad that he was utterly adorable. 

“But I’m wiped,” he finished, eyeing her and making her look away again quickly. She cleared her throat, glancing around the hotel room and shrugging to feign nonchalance.

“Yeah, I’m pretty tired too,” she said, seeing him stretching out of the corner of her eye. 

“Got your mask on?” he wondered, and she bit her bottom lip nervously, nodding. “Whenever you’re ready then,” he said, moving to his side of the bed and pulling the covers back, shooting her a glance every few seconds. 

She took a deep breath, slightly surprised that she didn’t mind if he was watching her. 

“Tikki, spots off,” she breathed out, feeling her protective suit disappear from her body. She watched her kwami float up and land in her hands, the two of them smiling at each other before Tikki floated over to join Plagg. 

Marinette pressed her mask against the skin around her eyes, making sure that it was there and that it was going to stay on. Looking back at him, she was surprised when she saw his mouth open in shock. 

“W-what?” she asked anxiously, looking down at her clothes. She’d decided to wear the official Chat Noir merchandise instead of any other pajamas she owned, just in case. It was just a pair of leggings and a tank top, but suddenly she felt underdressed beneath his piercing stare. Or overdressed. She couldn’t tell with all the thoughts bouncing around in her head. 

“Nothing, just…” he trailed off, looking away from her and sliding under the covers of the bed. “Care to join me?” he asked, trying to change the subject. He offered her a small smirk, his cheeks slightly pink, and she scowled at him.

“If you’re gonna be cheeky, I can leave,” she said flatly, hooking a thumb towards the door and watching him laugh. 

“Just kidding,” he spoke lightly, flopping his head down on his pillow and making his hair more disheveled (and cute) than it already was. 

The bed was a whole other situation that she’d been stressed about. There was nothing sexual about it, but being so close to him without either of their suits was still nerve-wracking. It was a closeness they hadn’t shared yet, and she was scared that she’d mess it up by being too nervous. And that only made her _more_ nervous. 

But she swallowed her anxieties and walked over, pulling the covers over herself and lying on her side to face Chat. He blinked at her, smiling like she’d given him a compliment that he’d been waiting to hear. She gave him a small smile back, biting her tongue when he yawned and twisted his body towards the nightstand on his side of the bed. 

“D’you mind if I turn the lamp off?” he asked. She shook her head, and a gentle clicking noise doused the room in darkness. He got comfortable again, from the sound of the rustling, and then he breathed out slowly through his nose.

“So, tell me about your day,” he said, the volume of his voice lowering. She felt a little more comfortable in the dark. She couldn’t see that he was out of his suit, but hearing his voice so close to her with strong hints of drowsiness in it made her stomach do somersaults. She found herself confused by the fact that she wished the air conditioner were a little quieter so that she could hear him even more clearly. 

“I thought you were tired,” she replied, pulling the covers up under her chin as goosebumps raced across her skin. 

“I am,” he chuckled. “But you can lull me to sleep with your voice.” She snickered at that, trying not to clue him in on how much _his_ voice was cut out for putting her to sleep. Well, if she weren’t so on edge. 

“Fine,” she said lightly, hearing him hum happily. She smiled to herself and thought about her day, already having a few things on her mental list that she’d marked down as things she could tell him. 

“School was as enjoyable as school can be,” she started, and he hummed, the noise leading into a short laugh. “Oh, but I had a good lunch today. I tried out that guacamole from that store you told me about,” she told him, and he gasped dramatically. 

“It’s _bomb_ , right?” he asked, and she laughed, remembering the taste well. 

“Yeah, it was fantastic,” she smiled. 

“What else?” he prompted. She pursed her lips, humming.

“Why don’t you tell me about your day?” she asked, genuinely curious.

“That’s no fun,” he whined. “I like listening to you talk.” She’d heard that line a thousand times, but never had she been so grateful that she was able to hide her blush. She knew she couldn’t argue with him, so she took another breath and went back to thinking.

“Okay, uh, oh. I made my coffee way too sweet this morning because I was so tired,” she said, and he hummed lightly, telling her to keep going. 

“I got a papercut,” she said, remembering how worried Adrien had seemed when she winced in pain during fourth period. 

“Where?” Chat asked, and she blinked, running her thumb over the middle of her index finger. 

“My left hand,” she told him, hearing him moving before feeling his warm fingers reaching out towards her. Her left hand was extended in front of her, so he found it easily, holding it gently. She felt her heart spring up in her chest, but she didn’t expect him to lean down and kiss her knuckles a few times. Her shoulders tensed up, and she held her breath, feeling like she might explode if he kept going. 

“What else?” he asked between pressing kisses to her hand.

“I think I’m all out,” she said quickly, feeling her cheek burning into the pillow. 

“You sure? I was just about to doze off,” he sighed teasingly, leaving her hand to tingle from the pressure of his lips. 

“Then you should sleep,” she said, breathing out a light laugh. 

“Ahh, you’re no fun,” he whined again, and she smiled. 

“I know, kitty. You never let me forget it,” she joked, and they both laughed. When their voices went silent, neither one of them spoke up again. His hand was still holding hers, and after a few minutes passed, she heard his breathing slow down and even out.

Marinette tried to calm her thoughts, but with her hand in his, she didn’t know if that was possible. She had tried not to think about snuggling up to Chat Noir when she thought about that night, but it lingered in the back of her mind no matter what she did. She felt safe with him, and knowing what it felt like to be completely enveloped by his arms was something a deep part of her longed to experience. 

After biting her tongue for a moment, she called his name quietly to see if he was still awake. She waited, hearing that he was still breathing deeply and slowly. He must have been telling the truth about being wiped out. 

Wishing that she would have talked to him for a little longer, she wiggled her fingers out of his grasp, wanting to let him sleep peacefully. But as soon as she had, she missed the warmth of his touch, and she found herself wondering what it would be like to really hold his hand. 

Marinette pushed her hand back into his, intertwining their fingers and feeling a breath hitch in her throat. His hand was larger than hers, she’d known that, but somehow their fingers fit perfectly together. His fingers gently came down to rest against her knuckles, and it felt like they belonged there, against her skin. 

She let her eyes fall closed until his hand twitched and he inhaled suddenly.

“M’lady?” he asked, trying to speak up but only getting his words out in a rough whisper. “Did I fall asleep?” 

“Yeah, sorry,” she said quietly, moving to take her hand away. But he kept it there, tightening his hand around hers and making her freeze.

“I wanted to do this too,” he said, and she blinked at him in the darkness. “But I didn’t want to ask and embarrass you.” She let herself smile, shifting her hand back into his more and squeezing it. He breathed out quickly, and she knew from that sound that he was smiling, the warmth from it tickling her fingers. It made her shiver a little, and she realized how cold she was compared to him. 

“Chat?” she called without really thinking. 

“Yeah?” he answered, and she frowned, pressing her lips together. 

“Ah...nevermind,” she said, and he squeezed her hand a little.

“Tell me,” he urged softly. 

“You’re really warm,” she said, mentally face-palming and wanting to groan. That wasn’t what she’d wanted to say. At least, not all of it. 

“Is my hand too hot?” he asked, and she snickered. 

“No,” she said quickly. “I’m just pretty cold right now.” 

“Do you want me to turn the air down?” he offered, and she furrowed her eyebrows, blushing. 

“No, it’s okay,” she said. 

“Do you want an extra blanket?” he asked, and she wanted to laugh, wondering if she should have said anything at all. How could she get it across to him?

“No,” was all she could say, and he chuckled cluelessly. She scrunched up her nose and took a deep breath, reaching forward with her free hand and finding his chest, pinching a small section of his shirt. 

“I want to be closer,” she said plainly, hearing him go to speak, but nothing came out. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she were more eloquent and not so nervous. 

Without saying a word, he pulled himself closer to her, their hands still intertwined between them. Her heart was already running a marathon, but he’d only moved a little. 

“Like this?” he asked, his voice shaky. She blinked at the nervousness showing through in his voice and wondered why it made her feel braver.

She let go of his shirt, sliding across the mattress until she could feel his ragged breaths on her cheek. At that point, she let go of his hand, using both arms to wrap herself around him into a tight hug. It was a lot at once, and she could feel his heart pounding against her, but she was grinning like an idiot as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder. 

After a heavy moment, he slid his arms around her too, one resting across her lower back and the other reaching under her arm and crossing over the space between her shoulder blades. 

Marinette wasn’t cold anymore, burying herself in the heat of his body and not letting go. They didn’t say another word, but she didn’t mind. 

Eventually, she found herself beginning to doze off, after he’d snuzzled his face into her neck and after she’d hooked a leg over him to pull herself even closer. 

She was in the arms of the one she loved most, and she’d never been more comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this made me so happy to write ahhhhh 
> 
> thank you all so much for reading! i love you all!! <3
> 
> stay safe!
> 
> here's my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	14. Day 14 - Chat Blanc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir and Ladybug share a happy moment.

“Tikki, spots on!” 

Ladybug jumped out of her skylight, taking a deep breath of fresh air and throwing her yo-yo towards the nearest chimney. Pulling the string hard and letting it carry her forward, she didn’t feel surprised that the wind on her face couldn’t make her feel anymore excited. She was already glowing with the anticipation of seeing her boyfriend, and nothing, not even _Gabriel Agreste_ would stop her from doing so. 

She raced against heartbeat to make it to their meeting spot, seeing him waiting there for her and feeling like she couldn’t fly any higher. 

“Hey!” she called, his eyes meeting hers as she landed. She would never get over the way his face lit up at the sight of her. Her heart felt like it could burst as she rushed over to him, meeting him in a tight hug and laughing happily. He held her tightly to his chest, lifting her feet off the ground for a second and making her squeal. 

“There’s my princess,” he said happily, pulling away and giving her a warm smile. She returned it, grinning up at him with her hands on his chest. 

“My prince,” she greeted, feeling his grip on her tighten a little. She glanced at his lips, moving closer as he tilted his head down towards her and kissed her sweetly. His lips were so soft against her own, a gentle hum of delight rumbling in his chest. 

They both pulled away reluctantly, gazing into each other’s eyes once more. 

“I missed you,” he said, and she giggled, letting her arms fall back to her sides. 

“You saw me five hours ago,” she reminded him, and he pouted teasingly, taking her hands in his. 

“It was the longest five hours of my _life_ ,” he sighed dramatically, bringing her hands to his lips and kissing both of them. She snickered, blushing a little at how sweet he was even when he was being silly. 

“I missed you too,” she admitted, seeing a smile work its way onto his lips as he scattered kisses across her knuckles. 

“It’s like we’re made for each other,” he said quietly, a joking lilt in his voice. She giggled, kissing his cheek and pulling her hands away, taking a few steps back from him. 

“I already know we are, kitty,” she spoke, watching his mouth drop open a little. “Let’s get this patrol started, shall we?” she asked, and he smirked a little, rushing over and pushing her yo-yo down as she lifted her arm to throw it. 

“I think we can walk our patrol route today,” he said, and she raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Walk?” she asked, and he nodded enthusiastically, attaching her yo-yo back onto her waist for her. 

“I wanna be able to talk to you,” he explained, making butterflies stir in her stomach. 

“That’s sweet, but we can’t exactly walk across the rooftops of Paris,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. He raised a finger, shaking it a little at her. 

“Nothing’s impossible for Chat Noir, m’lady,” he grinned. “When there’s a gap we need to cross, I’ll carry you across like a true gentleman,” he told her, bowing towards her and making her giggle. She was blushing, rolling her eyes at how lighthearted and silly he always made an effort to be. 

“Then lead the way, sir,” she said, watching him stifle a laugh and begin to walk, motioning for her to follow. 

They started along their normal patrol route, and after a few minutes, she’d already been carried over a few gaps by her dorky boyfriend. When they reached a long and narrow stretch of roofing, she reached over and took his hand, intertwining their fingers. Both of them smiled at each other, and she wondered where all the room in her heart for loving him had come from. It seemed like there was no end to it. 

As she thought about how it had all started, she was pulled under a wave of a thousand different emotions. 

When Adrien had come and confessed to loving her in return, she knew that she would remember that as the happiest day of her life. The one she truly loved felt the same way about her. 

On the other hand, being forced to break up with her boyfriend was the most painful thing Marinette had ever had to do. She was so blinded by sorrow and grief and pain that she didn’t even think about the possibility of getting akumatized. But he was there for her then too. 

And since the reveal of their identities to each other, since that day in the rain, things had been quiet. The peace that suddenly surrounded her felt strange, but she tried to appreciate it while she could. Mr. Agreste hadn’t said anything else about their relationship, but they tried to stay out of the public eye as much as possible anyway. Plus, there hadn’t been an akumatization since that day. Maybe the universe wanted her to be happy. 

And she really, really was. 

Looking up at her boyfriend, she felt like her heart had been filled to the brim and could burst at any moment. He returned her gaze, blinking at her with an adorable look of curiosity. 

“What?” he wondered, and she sighed happily, holding his hand tighter. 

“I love you,” she answered, watching him blink in surprise and then melt into a warm happiness. 

“I love you too,” he breathed out, making her stomach flip and her shoulders lift to press to her ears. A happy giggle spilled from her lips, her whole body buzzing. 

“Do you know how adorable you are?” he asked her, and she looked back up at him, blushing brightly. “And you’re even more adorable when you’re embarrassed,” he grinned, reaching down with his free hand to poke her side. She laughed a little but then quickly pouted at him, and she watched the realization flash in his eyes. 

“Ah, sorry!” he chuckled, holding up his guilty hand. “I know I’m banned from tickles for a week, I just forgot,” he explained, and she nodded, letting her pout drop. 

“You bet you are,” she replied, finding it funny how quickly the tone of their conversation had changed but that the love in the air hadn’t. He laughed, taking another stride and pulling her along. 

They walked for a few more minutes in silence, both of them appreciating the sky as it shifted into a deeper shade of navy blue. 

“I never want this to end,” he said suddenly, and she turned to look at him, blushing when she found his eyes already on her. 

“Well, uh, I still have that history project to work on, so I can’t stay out for too long but if--” she started, stopping when he shook his head at her. 

“I mean us,” he clarified, and she blinked at him in realization. 

“It won’t,” she said firmly, feeling his hand squeeze hers tightly. 

“Good. I don’t care what my father has to say,” he said, a new color showing through in his voice. She watched him, thinking back to how afraid she was when his father had said that he would pull his son out of school if she didn’t break it off. 

Ladybug pulled him gently to a stop, letting go of his hand and pushing herself against him for a hug. 

“I never want to lose you,” she said against his neck, feeling his arms sliding across her back. 

“You won’t,” he whispered into her hair, pressing a quick kiss to the skin just below her ear. 

She sighed happily, holding Adrien tightly and wholeheartedly believing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just re-read this for the first time in a few days and the ending made _me_ cry im gajsbglsjbdg
> 
> thank you all for reading! your support means so much to me!
> 
> here's my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	15. Day 15 - In Sync

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone thinks they're always in sync, but maybe that's not the case.

Ladybug took a deep breath, looking at Chat Noir for confirmation and letting her eyes do the talking. Watching him, she waited until they were both ready, the two of them jumping out of hiding and down onto the akuma, using her Lucky Charm to blind the villain. Ladybug broke the earpiece holding the akuma, capturing it and letting out a breath of relief that it was over. 

Once they’d reassured the man who they’d de-akumatized that he was alright, the normal swarm of reporters rushed over. Normally, Ladybug wouldn’t mind answering their questions, but that day she had other things she wanted to do before transforming back. 

“How are you two so in sync?” one of them called out, and her eyes narrowed slightly, having heard that said about her and her partner before. She paused, thinking back to the battle. They hadn’t done all that much in coordination. If she really thought about it, she would say that it was probably one of their most disjointed fights. 

“Well,” she started, watching Chat Noir smile charmingly for the cameras. “We just mesh well together. We know what we need to do when we need to do it, and sometimes we don’t need words for that,” she explained quickly, grabbing Chat’s wrist to get his attention. “We need to get going now,” she told them, grappling onto the nearest rooftop and hearing Chat Noir follow.

When she stopped, she turned to watch him land with a confused look. 

“Not in the mood to answer questions?” he asked, and she chuckled humorlessly, shooting him a look. 

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that stunt you pulled,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest and watching him tilt his head innocently. 

“Which?” he asked, and she let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head. 

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe when you _latched_ onto the akuma like a _leech_?” She raised her eyebrows at him, seeing him nod in remembrance before shrugging at her. 

“He looked like he needed a hug,” he teased, and she felt her patience wearing thin. 

“Chat,” she sighed, narrowing her eyes at him. 

“It really did distract him though,” he debated, and she dropped her arms to place them on her hips and step towards him.

“It was way too dangerous,” she argued, watching him smile, unconcerned. 

“Our whole job description is dangerous,” he chuckled, and she blew hot air up into her bangs in exasperation. 

“Why won’t you take this seriously?” she asked, trying not to let her anger get out of control. 

“I am,” he answered, and she could tell that he believed himself wholeheartedly. She frowned, taking a second to breathe deeply.

“We work really well together, Chat,” she said, and he nodded, smiling. “But I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” she finished, hearing him scoff.

“That’s why you’re mad?” he asked in disbelief, laughing. She stared back in equal disbelief, her eyes widening.

“Well yeah!” she laughed flatly. “I may not know who you are under the mask, but I still care about you,” she reminded him, her voice softening and her anger dulling. She felt her heart ache at the thought of when he’d been hurt in the past. It was something she never wanted to happen again. 

But as she watched Chat’s eyebrows raise, she wondered if her message was getting through to him. A smile that she could only describe as catlike spread across his face, and he tilted his head at her. 

“M’lady, are you catching feelings?” he asked, and she flinched, not expecting that at all. 

“I--” she started, her words catching in her throat. “I’m trying to _save your life_ , you dumb cat!” she exclaimed, wondering why it had come out louder than she’d wanted and why her cheeks were growing warmer by the second. 

He stared at her and then burst into laughter, holding his sides and falling back against the rooftop when he couldn’t stand any longer. She wanted to stay mad, but watching him laugh until his face was red reminded her that she didn’t always need to be so on edge. It was kind of cute, she realized. 

When he finally composed himself, standing back up and coughing a little, he grinned at her. 

“Just teasing, bugaboo,” he said smoothly, and she lifted a finger, readying herself to refuse the nickname for the millionth time. He raised his finger in return, pursing his lips. 

“No no, it’s your legal name now. I changed it in court this morning,” he said, and she snickered, shaking her head. 

“Chat, I swear--” she started, being promptly interrupted by the incessant and synchronized beeping of their miraculouses. 

“You love me,” he sighed dramatically, shrugging and taking his baton from his waist. 

“Chat!” she called as he started to walk off. She didn’t want to let him have the last word, especially when their argument had become something so ridiculous. 

“Trust me! I know a lovesick lovebug when I see one,” he said, turning to her and winking. She tried to say something, but her heart jumped into her throat and no words came out. He saluted her and then jumped away, leaving her standing stiffly with red cheeks. 

“Finally, he’s gone,” she sighed aloud, crossing her arms over her chest and wondering why her face was so red. Her heart was pounding too, she realized. 

But as Ladybug watched him disappear from view, she found herself wishing that he would come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love them so much lsjgblsjdgbs
> 
> thank you for taking the time to read this! i love you all!!


	16. Day 16 - First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug thought she was sure of her feelings.

_‘Glaciator,’ but Ladybug goes to Chat Noir’s dinner after all._

~~~~~

Ladybug swung across the city, wishing the sunset didn’t look so beautiful so that she could find more reasons to be upset. 

She’d been looking forward to getting Andre’s ice cream with Adrien more than she’d ever looked forward to anything before. She wanted to seal their love and see the reflection of the sunset in his eyes and watch the rays of light make his hair even more golden. 

Landing hard on her balcony, she sighed and looked around, not being able to deny that the sun was bathing everything in a soft, gorgeous glow. She looked to her right, seeing Chat Noir waving to her excitedly, an elaborate setup surrounding him.

Ladybug gasped, having forgotten all about the dinner that he’d invited her earlier that day. It wouldn’t hurt to go and hang out with Chat Noir. 

She jumped over, breathing in the gentle floral scent and wondering if it was all the candles until she noticed the roses scattered about and all the petals that dotted the rooftop. She was in awe, looking up at Chat’s grin and not knowing what to say.

“Good evening, m’lady. You look more radiant than the setting sun itself,” he said cheesily, and she couldn’t help but giggle a little, seeing his smile widen as he bowed a little. She walked closer to him, seeing the blanket and all the pillows laid out behind him. 

“This is beautiful, Chat Noir,” she breathed, looking around one more time before meeting his gaze, wondering if his eyes always glowed with such a bright ferocity. 

“Would you like to join me? I brought some pizza and some garlic bread,” he told her, reaching down and opening a picnic basket. She watched him, wondering why he’d put so much work into all of it. Despite her questions, she joined him.

They sat down together and nibbled on some food, and they talked about a few vague things that had happened throughout their days. She could tell that Chat wanted to know more, but she couldn’t tell him. She knew that. 

Ladybug had already eaten dinner with her parents, so she wasn’t very hungry. After a little while, she politely declined more food, and he stopped eating too. 

“I want to tell you something,” he said suddenly. She sat up from leaning back on her hands, hearing the shift of tone in his voice. His eyebrows were creased, making his mask dip, and she wondered what he’d been wanting to tell her. 

“I’m in love with you,” he said quietly, and she furrowed her eyebrows, thinking she must have heard him wrong. He looked up at her, taking a deep breath. “I’m in love with you,” he repeated, speaking with a firm tone, like it was a matter of fact. 

“What?” she asked, feeling her heart fluttering and wondering why. He was obviously joking around, like always. Right?

“I love you, Ladybug. I wanted to tell you properly,” he said, a soft look gracing his features. She blinked at him, shaking her head. 

“Are you serious?” she asked, the weight of his words starting to press down on her chest. He always flirted and messed around, but she couldn’t deny that he didn’t look like he was joking in that moment. 

“I’m serious. I love you, and I have since the first day we met,” he said, and she felt a gasp catch in her throat, her heart stuttering wildly.

Ladybug stood up, feeling like she would rocket into the sky if she didn’t move around. For some reason, the confession had her feeling elated, but when she thought about why that felt wrong, Adrien came to mind. 

“Listen,” she said, watching him stand to meet her with a confused stare. “I don’t wanna play around with your feelings. It would be the same as lying to you. I don’t wanna do that,” she said, looking at him and seeing that his face had fallen. 

“You’re more than my partner Chat Noir. You’re my friend,” she said, wondering why the last word caught in her mouth. She swallowed hard, not wanting to get distracted. “And I’d never wanna lie to a friend.” He gazed at her, looking confused.

“But why do you think it’d be lying?” he asked, and she felt a pang resonate through her chest, Adrien’s laughter echoing in her mind. 

“Because, there’s this boy I…” she trailed off, wondering why she didn’t want to tell him. Something was nagging at her, an itch in the back of her mind. Why did she want to tell Chat Noir something completely different, and what was it?

“There’s a boy?” Chat asked breathlessly. She turned to him, seeing the frown etched into his lips and hating that she’d put it there. She stepped closer without really thinking, sighing.

“I’m sorry,” she said, not meeting his eyes but seeing him move closer too.

“Ladybug,” he said quietly, such an aching sadness lingering in the undertones of her name. She turned her face to look up at him, noticing how close they’d gotten. 

Her heart stuttered at their proximity, and she found herself gazing at his lips. They looked soft, but he was frowning. He didn’t deserve to frown. 

Stepping forward and onto her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his lips, feeling her whole body begin to burn with a soft glow under the light of the setting sun. Pulling back, she looked up at him and wanted to panic, but the only feeling in her chest was warmth. There was no end to the warmth she felt for the boy standing in front of her. 

Chat’s eyebrows were raised high, and a bright blush had appeared on his cheeks. He wasn’t frowning anymore, his lips parted in surprise. She blinked at him, falling back onto her heels and pressing her fingers to her lips. 

“I don’t know why I did that,” she whispered, searching his eyes for an answer. He looked as lost as her, but she did know that so much of her wanted to kiss him again.

“I’m in love with someone else,” she blurted out quietly, seeing something flash in his eyes. He swallowed hard, nodding. 

“There’s a boy,” he repeated from what she’d said earlier. She nodded with him, wondering if he could hear her heart thumping against her ribs. 

“I don’t know why I…” She trailed off once more, covering her mouth and breathing out shakily. She knew why she’d kissed Chat Noir, and she also knew why she wanted to kiss him again. 

“Can you think about it for me?” he asked softly, tilting his head down so that their foreheads brushed. She blinked at him with wide eyes, finding it hard to breathe again. 

“Yes,” she nodded, taking her hand away from her mouth and placing it over her heart in an attempt to slow it down. 

Chat Noir pulled back from her, turning his head a little and smiling to himself before giving her a look that made her knees feel like they would buckle. 

“I’m glad you were my first kiss.” 

With those words, he breezed past her, disappearing before she could comprehend what he’d said or even begin to think of what to say in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asdfghjkl what i would give for a kiss like this in canon
> 
> thank you all for reading! you're all amazing!


	17. Day 17 - Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug is on her way to deliver a present when someone stops her.

Ladybug took a deep breath and jumped, trying to will herself to have more confidence. As she swung across the darkened city, she wondered if she was really going to be able to do it. Would it finally be the day? 

She planted her feet on a rooftop, breathing deeply to stop herself from panicking. It was decently late at night, and she was exhausted from doing hours of homework, but she was determined. She was going to give Adrien his macaron, and she was going to tell him how she felt. Even if she was terrified. 

Suddenly, a bright, white light appeared in front of her, and her hands came up to shield her eyes. She peeked through her fingers, watching Chat Noir step through the light. She furrowed her eyebrows at his silhouette, watching the blinding light spiral into itself until it disappeared. 

It was then that Ladybug realized that she’d just seen Bunnix’s burrow, and it wasn’t her Chat Noir that was standing in front of her. 

“What’s going on?” she asked tensely, her eyes slowly adjusting back to the blanket of darkness that covered them. 

“I’d like to know too,” Chat Noir chuckled, but she only became more confused, trying to blink to see him more clearly. Since when had his voice been so deep? 

She took a careful step towards him, realizing that the Chat Noir standing in front of her was definitely _not_ the one she knew. 

His shoulders had broadened, and he’d cut his hair shorter. The bell on his suit was gone, there were more green accents, and it seemed like a few other things had changed in that department too. That should have been what Ladybug focused on the most, considering she’d always wondered if her own suit would change over time, but it wasn’t. 

This Chat Noir was _taller._ The Chat she knew was already taller than her, but this Chat had grown significantly. 

“Who are you?” she wondered, knowing that it was an obvious answer but wanting to hear what he had to say. 

“Don’t you recognize me?” he asked, and she could hear the smirk in his voice. Her eyes finally adjusted, and she saw the smile on his lips, pursing hers in return. 

“How old are you?” She watched as his shoulders straightened a little, and he smiled wider. 

“17,” he replied, and she blinked at him, her mouth falling open. “I’ll be 18 in a few weeks, actually,” he told her, putting his fists on his hips proudly and grinning down at her. As she stared up at him, she laughed to herself just a little. The guy standing in front of her was _definitely_ her kitty. 

“Okay,” she drew out, tilting her head. “What are you doing here?” He let his smile fall, letting out a deep breath. 

“Bunnix sent me to stop you from doing whatever it is you’re about to do,” he explained, and her eyes widened. 

“What?” she asked in disbelief, gripping the item in her hand behind her back a little tighter. 

“I’m not really sure either. She just said that I needed to stop you at any cost,” he said, eyeing her observantly, his gaze lingering on the arm that twisted behind her. 

“Why?” He shrugged and smiled at her. 

“I’m just as lost as you are,” he laughed gently, and she smiled without thinking, hearing the similarities between the laugh she knew and the laugh that this Chat was sending into the night air. 

“But enough about me,” he breathed, putting his hands on his hips. “What are you off to do at this time of night?” he asked her, and she blinked, trying to think of a quick excuse. 

“Oh, I was just going to deliver something!” she got out, realizing how fake it sounded even though it was technically true. He raised an eyebrow, glancing at her hidden hand once more. 

“What is it?” he asked plainly, and she laughed nervously. 

“Oh, nothing,” she said, trying to seem natural but knowing that she was failing miserably. 

“Hey,” he called firmly, and she dropped her smile, watching him. “I’m here to make sure the world doesn’t implode or whatever will happen if you go through with what you were going to do. You can’t keep secrets right now,” he reasoned, moving to cross his arms over his chest. Had he been working out?

Ladybug shook her head to clear it, narrowing her eyes at him as she thought for a moment. 

“What about my identity?” she shot back, avoiding his question and raising her eyebrows at him. She expected a fast, witty response, but she watched as he deflated just a little, his eyes studying her quietly. 

“I can’t talk about that. Bunnix specified,” he answered, and she felt a curiosity stir in her. If this Chat really was from the future, how much did he know? 

“That’s suspicious,” she said, realizing that she hadn’t hidden the excitement in her voice very well. A smile passed over his lips, but he put it away, sighing lightly. 

“I don’t make the rules,” he shrugged, blinking down at her. She put a hand on her hip, staring up at him. 

“You don’t tend to follow them either, alley cat,” she quipped, and she watched his eyes to see if anything would give him away. She couldn’t help the want to know that was burning in her fingertips, wondering if it was just because she was tired. Normally it was the cat’s job to be curious.

“What do you think?” he asked, and she wilted a little, supposing that it was important to follow Bunnix’s rules. 

“Well,” she breathed, tapping her chin as she thought. “Since I’m the guardian, I think it’s pretty likely that I’ll need to know your identity at some point, and that might lead to mine being revealed,” she said, a thousand scenarios playing in her head. She looked back up at Chat, seeing a hint of pride in his expression.

“You’re on the right track as always, Minibug,” he smiled, but she cringed, a shiver running up her spine. 

“Please don’t call me that,” she said, letting out an uncomfortable laugh. She saw his eyebrows furrow on his forehead. 

“Why not?” he wondered, and she sighed, taking a deep breath. 

“It’s what Bunnix calls me, and when she’s around, usually nothing good is happening,” she told him, watching her foot as she ran the tip of her shoe along the rooftop. “And I always feel inadequate and inexperienced.” She looked up to see his reaction, flinching a little when she realized how close he’d gotten. 

Chat moved forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her a gentle smile. 

“You do know that you’ll become the greatest superhero in the world, right?” he asked, and she pressed her lips into a line, ignoring the subtle smell of cologne emanating from him. 

“Yeah, I _will_ , I’m not yet,” she emphasized, surprised to see that his smile wasn’t going anywhere.

“But it's you,” he said plainly. “It’s not anyone else, and it’s not something that will change, because I’ve _seen_ it,” he told her, his expression melting into something much softer, something that she realized was for the Ladybug of the future. It made her stomach flip, and for a moment she was entranced by the adoration in his smile. 

“Really?” was all she could ask, and he dropped his hands from her shoulders, rocking back on his feet and sighing out softly. She knew that the goofy grin on his face wasn’t for her present self either, and the emotion that came from that thought was something that she didn’t know how to interpret. 

“Yeah, you’re…” he started, trailing off and leaving her curious again. He shook his head, running a quick hand through his hair and looking back at her, his eyes a little clearer.

“Let’s focus here,” he said, rubbing his hands together and raising his eyebrows at her. “Tell me what’s going on.” She bit her tongue, feeling the weight of the object in her hand seemingly grow.

“I was just headed over to…” She couldn’t finish, a bright blush coming to stay on her cheeks. He leaned down a little to look at her, and she blinked quickly at him. 

“To what?” he prompted, and she sighed, turning her head away and looking anywhere else. 

“It’s so embarrassing,” she groaned, gritting her teeth a little. “Because I’m probably going to chicken out again,” she sighed loudly, running a hand over her face and wondering if she would be able to handle it all. 

“Let’s start with where you’re going first,” he offered, and she shook her head instantly, not needing to look at him to know that he was twisting his lips in thought. 

“Okay, then, what are you holding behind your back?” he asked, and she tensed immediately, trying to hold it closer to herself when it was already pressed against her lower back. When she looked up at him, he was waiting patiently, and she remembered what he’d said, knowing that whatever she was about to do wasn’t going to happen anyway. If she went through with it, it could mean the end of the world. 

Ladybug brought the passionfruit macaron from behind her back, presenting it to him and watching his eyes widen a lot more than she thought they could. 

“What?” she wondered, watching his expression carefully. 

“Nothing, uh, just,” he stumbled, and she tilted her head, wondering why he was getting flustered when he’d been so confident the whole time. “Who’s it for?” he asked her, and she let her heart sink.

“For...Adrien Agreste,” she finally told him, glancing up just in time to see a strange look in his eyes before he pushed it away. She wanted to figure out what all of it meant, but she was starting to get a headache. 

“Is that bad?” she asked, and he seemed to snap out of a trance, smiling down at her reassuringly. 

“No, uh, well, kind of,” he told her, and she frowned a little. “Were you just gonna drop it off?” he asked quickly, and she glanced in the direction of his house, her mind running over the scenario that she would have wanted to happen. 

“No, I wanted to try and tell him how I feel,” she answered, looking back up at him and feeling something prick at her heart. “Bunnix sent you here to stop me?” she asked, and he nodded once. Would her confession really have ended just as disastrous as last time? She had intended to be careful, to detransform at the right time, to make sure that nothing could go wrong. But Chat Noir was here, a Chat Noir from a few years into her future, and his job was to stop her.

Would she ever get to tell Adrien how she feels? 

Ladybug let out a defeated sigh, her hand falling back to her side. 

“Should I just give up? It seems like it’s never going to be the right time,” she said, looking up at him and seeing him look just as sad if not sadder than she felt. It startled her a little, but she just sighed again. 

“Please don’t give up. It may feel pointless, but it will work out eventually. I promise,” he said to her, and she stared at him, wishing she could peek into his mind for only a second. She wanted to ask how he knew, but she knew the answer to her question already. 

“Thank you,” she breathed, glancing down at the wrapped macaron in her hand.

“No problem, Mini Bugaboo,” he said, and her eyes shot back up to him, narrowing. 

“Hey,” she said sternly at the nickname, knowing he was just trying to cheer her up. He let out a loud laugh, squeezing his eyes shut. She couldn’t help but smile, noticing how much deeper and richer his laugh had become. She suddenly felt incredibly lucky that she would come to know that Chat Noir and be able to see him everyday. 

When he calmed himself, Ladybug raised the macaron towards him, unable to stop smiling.

“Here,” she said, offering it to him. “Since I can’t use it.” He eyed her and then took it gently, unwrapping it and taking a delicate bite. 

“It’s delicious,” he told her, his mouth suppressing a wider smile. She watched him, wondering what his favorite flavor could be. 

“Thank you,” she smiled, taking the wrapper back from him. “I should probably get going,” she said, and his smile lost some of its shine, but he nodded. 

“Yeah, I’m sure Bunnix will be back to drag me into her Burrow and tell me all the things I said wrong,” he sighed playfully, making her laugh a little. She looked him over once more, meeting his eyes. 

“It seems like you’re doing pretty well for yourself,” she told him, admiring how confident he seemed to have become. 

“Ah…” he let out, narrowing his eyes at her and leaning down to be at her eye level. “Are you flirting?” he asked, and she felt like a heat wave struck Paris, her whole body seeming to burn under the weight of his gaze. 

“What? _No!_ ” she exclaimed, pushing his shoulders away a little but finding that she could hardly move him at all. “I just meant that you s-seem happier, you dumb cat!” she yelled, taking a step away from him since he wasn’t moving and crossing her arms over her chest. She didn’t look at him, but she could hear his gentle snickers. They didn’t last as long as she expected though. 

“I am,” he said, and she looked at him, seeing the gentlest smile on his lips. He wasn’t looking at her, his eyes aimed at the Eiffel Tower in the distance. “I really am.” She watched him until he met her eyes again, looking away quickly and blushing again. 

“I’m glad,” she said truthfully, letting her arms fall back to her sides and facing him again. He grinned, nodding to himself and raising an arm to wave at what seemed like nothing but the night sky. 

Bunnix’s Burrow flashed into view, and Chat Noir moved to step into it, turning back to her. 

“See ya, Littlebug,” he called, making her laugh a little before he disappeared from view. She stared at the empty space that he’d just been occupying, a strange feeling growing in her chest. Was that really what he was going to grow up to be? It hadn’t been too much different from the Chat she knew, but it seemed like all his best features had only been amplified. 

Ladybug let out a confused laugh, wondering why the urge to call Chat Noir and see him was so strong right then. She moved to press a hand to her heart, hearing the crinkle of the wrapper from her macaron sound off against her suit. She stared down at it, turning it over in her hand. Sighing out, she held onto it, wanting to make sure that she threw it away properly when she got home. 

Pulling out her yo-yo, she started back towards her house. As she thanked the night breeze for cooling off her cheeks, she realized that if she hadn’t the wrapper to remind her of Adrien, Chat Noir would have been the only one on her mind the whole way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love time travel shenanigans asdfghjkl
> 
> thank you all for reading! i hope you enjoyed!! <3


	18. Day 18 - Close Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir comes up with a few different ways to cheer up Ladybug.

Chat Noir took a deep breath, feeling her move as his muscles expanded and pushed her forward slightly. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing that his Lady was still staring down at her hands in her lap. 

They’d been sitting back to back for a while at that point, Ladybug having asked to take a break from their patrol. She’d seemed upset from the moment he’d met her on top of the Notre Dame, and so far, he hadn’t been able to come up with anything to cheer her up. Well, nothing that had worked. 

Suddenly, he thought of another thing to try, pulling his baton from his back and pressing it to his ear. Within seconds, he heard her yo-yo begin to ring against her hip, and he waited as she moved to pull it into view. 

“Why are you calling me?” she asked, her voice a little scratchy from not having spoken for so long. He smiled to himself, putting his hand to his mouth to push his voice towards her.

“It’s _impurrtant_ ,” he whispered excitedly, her phone still ringing persistently. She let out a reluctant sigh, opening her yo-yo and pressing it to her ear. 

“Hello?” Chat called, dragging out the ‘o’ playfully. 

“What do you want?” she asked, the gentle sound of her voice echoing into his ear only a second later and making his heart skip a beat. It made him giggle a little to himself, but she remained quiet behind him.

“Yes, hi. Can I get two cheeseburgers with extra cheese and the largest order of fries you can legally give me?” he asked animatedly. He listened for her response, hearing her blow a soft laugh from her nose. 

“Sir, this is Subway,” she responded, surprising him but making him laugh nonetheless. He glanced at her over his shoulder, seeing that a small smile was rounding out her adorable cheeks. 

“Okay, but m’lady _loves_ cheeseburgers, and she’s been having a bad day. So I need at least _one_ cheeseburger,” he explained, raising his eyebrows as he heard her inhale slowly. 

“I see,” she started, a pigtail brushing against the back of his arm as she tilted her head. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Chat,” she said, and he smiled to himself, hearing the genuine gratitude in her voice. 

“So...no cheeseburger?” he asked, and he heard her cute giggles sound off behind him, their shoulder blades bumping as her body swayed with her mirth. He couldn’t stop his grin from growing wider, glad that his plan was working even a little. 

“Okay, well if I can’t get a cheeseburger,” he said when there was a lull in her laughter. “Can I at least hear about your day?” he asked, feeling her back tense a little. She wasn’t laughing anymore, a quiet sigh coming from his baton’s speaker. She let her bug phone come to rest against her leg, taking a breath to start explaining. 

“There’s this...person at my school,” she began, all of his attention on her. “They cause a lot of trouble for my friends and I, and I’ve tried to stop them but…” She let her voice fade out. He pressed his back against hers gently, encouraging her to keep going. 

“Some days it’s just hard to deal with all of their nonsense and all of this on top of it,” she continued after a moment’s silence. He nodded, knowing how that felt. 

And then his brain blessed him with another idea. 

“Do you know their address?” he blurted out. When she didn’t say anything, he glanced at his baton. “Hello, Ms. Subway?” he asked, and she breathed out a laugh, bringing her bug phone back up to her ear. 

“I-- No, I don’t know their address,” she answered, her voice seeming to be all around him. 

“Darn,” he sighed dramatically, snapping his fingers. “We could have ding-dong ditched them!” He heard her take in a breath to sigh, but then she just laughed.

“You know what? I think they would really hate that,” she said, her normal, playful tone coming back to bless his ears. He grinned, pumping a fist in the air. 

“Let’s go get their address!” he said excitedly, but she didn’t respond, hanging up the phone by closing her yo-yo pointedly. 

“Hey! I was really enjoying talking to that Subway employee,” he pouted, putting his baton back on his waist sadly. He heard her chuckle and then felt a tap on his shoulder, glancing back to see that she’d turned around to face him. Chat flipped around to kneel in front of her, seeing a warm smile grace her lips. 

“Thank you,” she said, and he couldn’t deny that he melted a little, but he also couldn’t help but keep joking. 

“Don’t thank me! I couldn’t even get you a cheeseburger,” he pouted, and she laughed, shaking her head. 

“I’m serious!” she giggled, pushing a strand of stray hair behind her ear. “You always help cheer me up.” He tilted his head as he watched her, wondering if there had ever been anyone more adorable ever. 

“That’s what friends are for,” he replied, giving her a big grin when she looked back up at him. 

“I really appreciate it, kitty,” she smiled in return, making his heart flutter happily. 

“Hah, y-yeah,” he stuttered out as she stood up, grateful that she didn’t comment on his blush or the way that she had the ability to make him fall apart with one nickname. 

Ladybug stretched, glancing around and unknowingly giving him a chance to calm down. 

“It would have been pretty fun to ding-dong ditch,” she admitted, looking back down at him. He stood up to meet her, nodding in agreement. When another brilliant idea came to mind, he wondered what he’d eaten that day to make him such a genius. 

“Hey, I know a place we could ding-dong ditch,” he told her, a devious laugh bubbling up in his throat as she furrowed her eyebrows at him. 

“Where?” she wondered, tilting her head at him and not being able to help but smile at his mysterious enthusiasm. 

“Follow me!” he exclaimed, jumping off and hearing her laugh before giving chase. 

When she landed next to him in front of the Agreste Mansion, he knew exactly what she was going to say. 

“You can’t be serious,” she deadpanned, crossing her arms. He looked down at her with the biggest grin, searching for any hint of recklessness in her eyes and surprisingly finding an abundance. 

“I’m not _kitten_ around, bugaboo,” he said, looking over his front gate and rubbing his hands together. 

“We could be arrested,” she offered, eyeing him and then the house. “Or Gabriel Agreste himself could announce publicly that our suits look horrible.” He raised an eyebrow at her, smirking and feeling excitement spreading in his chest. 

“Not if we’re not caught,” he reminded her, and she gave him a look of doubt. But she couldn’t take back the impulsivity he’d found in her eyes. 

Chat took her hand, running over to the subway entrance just across the street from the gate of his house and crouching so that his head barely popped up. She laughed but then followed suit, watching him. 

“What now?” she asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice from him. He laughed briefly, pulling his baton out and eyeing her. 

“Ready?” She nodded firmly, a giddy smile pressing into her cheeks. 

Chat extended his baton all the way to the doorbell, hitting it quickly and pulling his baton back just as fast so the camera wouldn’t catch sight of it. 

The two superheroes watched in silence as the camera popped out from the wall, waiting for a moment before retracting itself. Chat let out a short laugh, but Ladybug began to giggle and didn’t stop. He watched her in amused awe, finding it adorable that she was covering her mouth with both hands. 

“Again?” he asked through a laugh, unable to help going along with her. She gasped, placing a hand on his arm. He could swear he felt his whole body warm up under her touch. 

“Can I do it?” she asked eagerly. He handed her his baton without question, watching as her eyes filled with glee. She rang the doorbell, losing it once again when the camera disappeared back into the wall. He had to catch her when she almost fell backwards down the stairs from laughing too hard, and it was then that he realized that his idea might have been the best thing he’d ever done. He was captivated, much more entertained watching her than thinking about what his father and Nathalie were thinking. 

She paused in her laughter to take a deep breath, glancing over at him and catching him staring with a warm smile. 

“What, chaton?” she wondered lightly, making his stomach do a flip. He shook his head, pressing his lips together and giving her a tight smile. 

“Nothing,” he lied. She glanced down at his baton, placing her thumb over the button to extend it in preparation.

“One more time?” she asked, and he furrowed his eyebrows. 

“Only one more? We have to do it until he calls the police at least,” he said, delighted when she broke down into a fit of giggles again. He was constantly in awe of her, and even more so of how much love he had for her. 

Chat would never forget the light in his Lady’s eyes when police sirens rang out across the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one is coming in so late! rough day :(
> 
> but i had fun writing this! you can see that i interpreted this prompt a little literally, but i hope you enjoyed! thank you for taking the time to read it! <3
> 
> and thank you all for being so understanding and patient <3
> 
> here's my tumblr as well! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	19. Day 19 - Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir isn't too fond of the rain, so he's surprised to find that Ladybug is.

Chat swung down, nearly landing on top of one of the round tables set out, and a rumble of thunder drowned out his quiet chuckle. He wiped some of the rain from his arms, pushing his hair out of his eyes and watching Ladybug land a few feet away from him. 

It had been obvious that it was going to storm, but the two superheroes had both wanted to race and just let off some steam. When it had really started coming down, they both ducked into the second floor of a restaurant. Luckily, the balcony seating had shelter from the rain overhead.

“That was sudden,” Chat almost shouted over the downpour, taking a few steps closer to her. He wanted more than anything to detransform and dry off, hating the feeling of being cold and wet. But when he caught a glimpse of the expression on Ladybug’s face, expecting her to be similarly bothered, he was surprised. 

She looked entirely delighted, walking forward and leaning out into the rain with a smile on her face. He blinked in surprise, stepping back when a gust of wind blew a sheet of raindrops in his direction. She glanced back at him, giggling sweetly even though she was completely drenched and her bangs were clinging to her forehead. 

“Do you like the rain, m’lady?” he laughed, watching her extend her arm to reach out and let the heavy drops land in the palm of her hand. She was still grinning, the wind blowing the ribbons in her hair. 

“I love it,” she replied in a gentle sigh, turning back to look at him. Her gaze made his legs feel weak, and he thought for a moment that his heart had forgotten how to beat. But she turned back to the rain, closing her eyes and letting it hit her face. He blinked at her, blushing as he wished that the look she’d let him see had been for him. 

“Any reason why?” he asked, wanting to step closer but being stopped by the rain once more. She took a step back from the railing, shaking out her hands and pushing her hair behind her ears. 

“Yeah,” she answered, and he watched her smile keep shining on her lips. He chuckled a little at her lack of explanation, the expression on her face feeling familiar. She looked at him, laughing to herself and glancing back out at the rainfall.

“Sorry, I’m just--” she started, cutting herself off with adorable giggles. As he watched her, he realized he knew the emotion that was radiating off of her all too well.

She was in love. 

Something tight squeezed his heart, and even though he was overjoyed to see her so happy, a frown settled on his lips. 

“Who is it?” he asked without really thinking, watching her shoulders lift towards her ears and her fingers intertwine back her back. She let out a nervous giggle. 

“I can’t tell you who, but…” she said softly. He felt his eyebrows furrow on his forehead, wishing that she’d say his name or confess her love for him. But he knew he was just getting his hopes up, and even though he respected her feelings, he longed to be the reason her eyes were shining so brightly. 

“When I first met him, I didn’t think he was a very nice person, but,” she started, interrupting herself by letting out a chuckle and grinning. He watched her carefully, tilting his head. 

“After school, he found me to apologize,” she told him, letting her hands fall to her sides as she sighed softly. “It was raining, so he offered me his umbrella, and the look he gave me just…” Chat blinked, feeling the weight of the familiarity of her story and exploring it while she paused. 

Wait. _Wait._

“I knew I was in love with him right then and there,” she said gently, and Chat stared at her, bewildered but trying to pay attention. Was he overthinking it, or was the girl in front of him…

“And then I took it from him and accidentally closed it on myself, and his laugh, _gosh_ his laugh,” she grinned, laughing to herself and making his heart run wild. 

It couldn’t be a coincidence. 

Chat’s mind felt like it had been set on fire. Small moments were replaying in his mind, and his eyes were drifting to her pigtails. Everything felt heavy and important and distracting. 

That was when she turned to smile at him, finding him wide-eyed and looking like he’d seen a ghost. 

“What?” she wondered, the heavenly smile fading from her lips. There was nothing in his mind that he was prepared to say out loud, no thoughts that were coherent enough for her to hear. His lips moved to form words, and for a second he was petrified that he would ruin everything by speaking. 

“Did you keep the umbrella?” was what he asked her, his voice sounding strained and alien to himself. He blinked quickly at her, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment. He was falling apart right in front of her, but the joy she was feeling was enough of a distraction that she didn’t notice. 

“Yeah,” she sighed, letting herself smile once more and looking back out at the rain. “I bring it with me every time it’s going to rain, even if it’s only a small chance.” He stared at her, remembering the pigtailed girl walking into class with _his_ umbrella on a cloudless day. 

It’s Marinette. It’s _Marinette._

It was then that it hit him. The look on his Lady’s face _was_ for him. She was in love with _him._

The urge to detransform right then was overwhelming, his heart overflowing with love for the girl standing in front of him. But he caught himself, knowing that doing that then and there would probably be complicated and stressful. And Adrien knew that if he took the smile off Marinette’s face, he might as well be committing a crime. 

“I hope he doesn’t mind that I kept it,” she giggled, pulling him out of his thoughts. He blinked at her, stepping forward to stand next to her and not minding one bit that the rain was able to reach him. 

“He doesn’t,” he told her softly, glancing down at her. 

When she looked back up at him with the happiest look he’d ever seen, he knew that there would never be anyone he could ever love more than her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a shorter one today, but reveals are kinda hard for me hehe. so many crazy thoughts running around, you know? 
> 
> thank you for reading! i really appreciate you! 
> 
> also, how are we already 19 days into july? this year has been crazy


	20. Day 20 - Déjà Vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug experiences déjà vu at a strange time.

Ladybug snickered, watching Chat Noir attempt a backflip for the 22nd time. He was determined to get it perfect, and to her amusement, that wasn’t as easy as he’d expected it to be. 

Chat groaned in frustration, throwing her a glance. She smiled at him and gave him a supportive thumbs-up. There was no doubt that watching him was better than any of the homework she had waiting for her, so she would encourage him for as long as he wanted. 

Suddenly, a flock of pigeons flew overhead, eliciting another loud noise of displeasure from her partner. 

“Not again,” he sighed as a few feathers floated down next to him on the rooftop. She stood from her warm spot on the ground, taking her yo-yo from her hip and reaching into it to grab a small pack of tissues. 

“Here we go,” she sighed with him, placing her yo-yo back on her waist and crossing her arms. Chat took a deep breath in, his eyes narrowing. He drew his head back to sneeze, and she realized right then that she was standing too close, taking the opportunity to lunge backwards. Chat sneezed loudly, not even bothering to cover his mouth in the process.

Ladybug scrunched her nose up, about to tell him off for not having manners, but before she could, a strong sense of déjà vu washed over her. As she watched him rub his nose, preparing for another sneeze, she wondered where she’d seen it all before. Obviously, anytime they fought Mr. Pigeon his allergies acted up, but that wasn’t what her brain was trying to bring to her attention. 

She continued to study her partner as he sneezed seven--eight--more times, lost as to what had struck her as so familiar. 

When he finally stopped sneezing, she stepped forward cautiously, handing him the package of tissues. 

“Sorry,” he said, his voice nasally. And there it was again, the déjà vu hitting her like a brick. 

She was pulled back into a memory, finding herself thinking about the day that she’d won the derby hat design competition. Adrien was allergic to feathers too, and the way that he’d said sorry…

Ladybug stared at her partner as he blew his nose, feeling her heart beating like it couldn’t breathe. It was just a coincidence, right? Lots of people had feather allergies. And blonde hair, green eyes, a cute nose, those lips…

She shook her head, trying to snap herself out of it because Chat was noticing that she was staring at him pretty hard. She felt a surge of panic rush through her body, knowing that Chat couldn’t find out that her brain was vividly imagining _Adrien Agreste_ standing in front of her in a catsuit. 

“That’s some allergy you’ve got there,” she said nervously, watching him sigh and sniffle. She pressed a hand to her chest, wishing she could calm down but knowing that it was more than likely impossible. It had to be a coincidence, right? 

“Yeah, it really sucks,” he told her. She tilted her head, wanting to ask a million questions to see if her hunch was correct. But she knew she shouldn’t. It really wasn’t right of her to be so curious about his identity, even though she was the guardian, and she shouldn’t pry.

“Does it ever stop you from doing anything?” her mouth asked, and she felt her eyes widen, wondering why in the world she’d asked that. What was she thinking? 

“Yeah, it has once,” he replied, sniffling loudly. Her stomach did a flip, another memory coming to mind.

“O-oh?” was the next thing that fell from her lips without her wanting it to. He nodded again, chuckling. 

She remembered that day when she’d rushed to the fashion show. She’d been standing in his--no, _Adrien’s_ trailer, stressing her hair out about the synthetic feather and the hat that she’d convinced herself was the ugliest thing in existence. 

Ladybug found herself watching her partner carefully, waiting for him to continue. 

“This hat I wore,” he started, taking a break to let out a small sneeze. “She had to replace the feather with a synthetic one or I would have been sneezing all the way…” He trailed off, taking a shaky breath in before sneezing. She couldn’t believe what she’d heard, her whole body feeling completely numb and completely on fire at the same time. 

“I probably shouldn’t say much more,” he chuckled when he’d finished blowing his nose into another tissue. She went to say something, to agree with him even though he’d already said way too much, but she realized that it really was Adrien standing in front of her. Would she mess up her words like she always did? Her hands were already shaking because _oh my gosh_ , the love of her life was Chat Noir and had been the whole time. 

Wait. 

How many times had she rejected him? She had rejected him _so many times._

She felt like she would explode at any moment, her limbs feeling so jittery that she was sure she was going insane. Chat had noticed already, she was sure. 

“M’lady?” he called, making her jump. She looked up at him, seeing his gentle curiosity waiting for her. Adrien had just called her _m’lady, oh my gosh!_

“You okay?” he asked, resealing the packet of tissues. She nodded, swallowing loudly before realizing she should probably answer him and not just wildly shake her head. 

“Yes!” she replied, laughing nervously and wanting to rip her hair out when he only looked more concerned. 

“Are you sure?” he wondered, and her heart stuttered. “Did I sneeze too many times? I know it’s kinda gross, but I promise I’m just as charming as always,” he said with a smirk, her whole body lighting up in goosebumps. Adrien Agreste did _not_ just say that to her. 

Ladybug found giggles spilling uncontrollably from her lips, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. She had always thought Chat Noir was cute, somewhere in the part of her mind where she put things she told herself not to think about, but this was a whole new level of adorable. 

“There’s no doubt about that,” she spoke, her voice not faltering at all. She peeked back up at him, seeing his face growing red. Her stomach bottomed out, a blush blooming on her cheeks in response. 

“W-w-what?” he got out, staring at her in disbelief. He was the king of puns, the extreme flirt himself, the cheesiest guy she knew, and he couldn’t handle her flirting back? 

Her heart was racing, but she managed to shoot him a smile, winking at him. She watched as he turned completely red, fumbling for something to say as she held back her laughter.

Maybe it wasn’t such a terrible discovery after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe this was a dumb idea but i had fun writing it 
> 
> i hope you all enjoyed! thank you for reading! <3
> 
> please stay safe!


	21. Day 21 - Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After they defeat Oblivio, Ladybug and Chat Noir expect to forget.

“Chat Noir, now!” Ladybug shouted, watching her partner leap from behind her. She took a deep breath, feeling a rush of adrenaline flood through her veins. Even though she didn’t remember being a superhero, she couldn't deny that it was exhilarating. And being there to defeat the strange villain, being there with Adrien, it all felt right somehow. 

“Cataclysm!” he called, pressing his hand down on Oblivio’s left hand. The device he’d been using to fire at them cracked and crumbled to the ground, and a small purple butterfly appeared out of the dust. 

Ladybug recognized it as the akuma, capturing it with her yo-yo like the instruction manual had said to and releasing the creature into the air as its purified form. She watched it fly away, suddenly having a thousand more questions. 

Her eyes turned back to the supervillain, watching as its blurry, purple form bubbled until it released two people. They stumbled to the ground, groaning and rubbing their heads groggily. She felt her eyebrows raise, staring at the two kids that looked about her age and wondering why they’d been out to get her and Adrien. 

“Wow, so this villain was both these guys?” Adrien, or rather Chat Noir asked. She was about to ask if they were okay when a loud humming reminded her of what was looming above them. Oblivio had threatened to erase the memories of all of Paris, but she hadn’t gotten rid of that danger completely yet. 

“What do we do about _that_?” Chat asked, looking back at her expectantly. She found the look he’d been giving her kind of adorable. He was so willing to listen to her ideas and plans. 

“This is where my other power comes in,” she told him, walking over to grab the polka-dotted teapot that had clattered to the ground along with the two teens. She picked it up, turning back to Chat and giving him a smile. She thought her superpowers were pretty cool, if she was honest. 

“It fixes everything back to how it was originally,” she explained, readying her arm to throw the “Lucky Charm” without a second thought. But she was quickly stopped by Chat’s hand.

“Wait,” he said, sounding slightly concerned as she turned to look at him. “Do you think we’ll remember all this...afterwards?” he asked. She blinked, lifting the teapot to look at it. 

“Apparently my “Miraculous Ladybug” reverts everything, so I’m guessing we won't,” she told him, shrugging. She didn’t know why she felt a pang in her heart, but the sadness spreading in her chest was showing on Adrien’s face too. He turned his head, frowning and taking a breath before smiling at her again. 

“Alright then,” he spoke gently, walking forward and taking her hands. “With your permission, m’lady?” he prompted, giving her a smile that made her knees feel weak. She stared at him, wide-eyed, shocked at his forwardness. But as she looked into his eyes, her expression melted into something much softer. She could feel the love she had for him deep in her chest. 

Before she knew it, their fingers were intertwined and they were leaning forward, kissing each other so softly that she felt like she’d done it all before. Her heart was fluttering in delight as he held her hand tightly, their fingers fitting together like the missing pieces of a puzzle. 

After a short moment, they both pulled away. The look in his eyes and the smile on his perfectly-kissed lips made the arm holding the teapot want to go limp. How could she erase all of that? She could feel, somewhere inside herself, that the happiness radiating off of her wasn’t something she felt everyday. 

Taking one last look at Adrien, she tossed her Lucky Charm into the giant purple bubble, shouting out the magic words and hoping her uncertainty didn’t show through in her voice. 

She felt him take her hands once more, bringing her into his chest and holding her there. She squeezed her eyes shut, breathing in the last of her bliss before it disappeared. 

Clutching him tightly, she waited. But nothing happened. 

Blinking gently, she looked up at Chat and wondered why it hadn’t worked. And that was when all of her memories came rushing back. 

The two superheroes both froze in shock, locked in eye contact with each other. Marinette felt her heart stop beating. If he hadn’t been holding her so tightly, she was sure she would have toppled over. 

_It’s him._

Before either of them could think anymore, they’d pressed their lips together again. So many emotions were rushing through their bodies, but in that moment, Marinette was simply _relieved._ She loved him, and he loved her. They truly were meant for each other, and the fact that she’d been blind to that fact made her dizzy all over again. Especially with his lips fitting so softly against her own.

That bliss faded when Alya squealed loudly, breaking their kiss short and drawing their eyes to her. 

“This is insane!” she exclaimed, and those three words brought Marinette back to reality. With Alya’s camera pointed at them, their identities finally revealed, and their transformations about to expire, the next emotion on Marinette’s list was _panic._

She pulled herself away from Chat-- _Adrien_ \--and let out a breathy laugh, but nothing about it suggested that she found something funny. Her knees really were weak, and she stumbled to the ground roughly. 

“Ladybug,” Chat called gently, and she flinched, hearing Adrien in his voice all too clearly. Was she dreaming? 

“Ladybug!” Alya exclaimed, not helping the ringing in her ears. She lifted her head to her best friend, seeing her eyes wide with excitement. It was nauseating to her, way too many thoughts swirling in her head. She looked to her partner, seeing that he was reaching towards her in worry. His eyes were soft, and both of their miraculouses beeped urgently.

“Head back downstairs, you two,” he said to Alya and Nino, picking Ladybug up and leaping towards the edge of the roof. She clung to him tightly, burying her face in his chest and trying to figure out what she was supposed to do. What _was_ she supposed to do? 

Chat landed roughly, running for a few more moments before setting her down gently. She looked up at him, seeing him closing the door to the stairwell he’d brought them to. 

“Marinette, are you okay?” he asked her, and she sighed out, shaking her head. 

“This is a disaster!” she exclaimed, seeing a look flash in his eyes. “We can’t know each other’s identities! Master Fu is going to take our miraculouses away! Who is going to protect the city?” she asked in a rush, seeing Adrien reach out to her. “I don’t want to give Tikki back! And _oh my gosh_ , it’s you?” she got out, breathless as she stared at her partner, knowing that Adrien was under his suit. 

With those words, their transformations faded, bathing the room in a bright glow. She was met with Adrien’s worried face staring back at her, and she let out a shaky breath, feeling like she could cry. How had she let this happen? 

“This is really, really, really bad!” she breathed, almost yelping when Adrien stepped forward and caught her in a tight hug. He held her close to him, her cheeks lighting up pink like she didn’t have other things to worry about. 

“This isn’t your fault, Marinette. It was an accident, and we can’t change things now,” he said in a calm, even voice. She furrowed her eyebrows, wanting to think about what he was saying but feeling lightheaded. “Take a deep breath, okay? Match your breathing to mine.” She inhaled shakily, holding onto his shirt as she tried to listen for his breathing. She eventually started calming down, closing her eyes and ignoring his scent to focus on what he’d said. 

He was right, and she could see that. Master Fu would understand, right? It had been an accident, and they couldn’t change the past. 

Marinette felt her heart rate returning to normal, but as Adrien’s arms shifted around her body, she felt a new nervousness settling in. 

“Thank you,” she got out quietly, loosening her hold on him and feeling his arms do the same. He pulled away from her, and the warmth in his eyes rivaled that of being held to his chest. She felt a blush flooding into her cheeks, and she couldn’t believe she’d kissed him twice in the past 15 minutes. Some of the giddiness that she’d felt when her memories had come back returned to her system, and she ducked her head, letting out a smile. 

“We should talk to Master Fu after school,” Adrien said gently. She looked back up at him, her throat tightening when she saw the look in his eyes. He looked like he was thinking about anything but Master Fu. 

“But for now, we should make our way back to the bus. Can you walk?” he asked, offering her his hand again. She blinked at him, nodding and moving to take a step to prove herself. But her knees were still weak, and they gave out. 

Adrien caught her quickly, pulling her into his chest once more and letting out a breath of relief. Their eyes met, their faces so close, and they both blushed brightly.

“A-ah,” he chuckled, backing away just a little. “Clumsy as ever, bugaboo,” he said, the smile on his lips one she recognized as the one he used when trying to lighten the mood. 

Marinette blinked at him, wanting to give him an equally witty remark in return, but all she could do was laugh. She found it hard to stop, especially when he gave her _that_ look. 

Marinette still found it hard to walk as they made their way back to their classmates, but Adrien was there to help steady her. She knew then, that with him by her side, everything would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe half an hour until the day is over but here we are! sorry for the late post! <3
> 
> thank you for reading! this one was fun! not completely happy with it, but it’s an idea ive had for a while now! hope you enjoyed! <3 
> 
> here's my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	22. Day 22 - Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug can't figure out what her feelings towards Chat Noir are.

Ladybug watched the cars go through the roundabout absentmindedly, her senses more focused on listening. She hadn’t been waiting long, but every second that passed felt like years. 

Finally, she heard him coming, and she flipped around to see his figure growing closer and closer. A gentle warmth began spreading through her body to her fingertips, and the smile that appeared on her face was one she couldn’t help. 

“Chat Noir!” she called out, waving an eager arm. He made a final jump and landed a few feet away from her, flashing her a smile and taking a deep breath. 

“Hey Ladybug,” he said happily. A little bit of the warmth spreading inside her turned cold, but she kept smiling, trying to remind herself that he hadn’t used nicknames for her in some time. 

“I can’t stay for too long, but I’m here!” he said enthusiastically, and more of the happiness inside her shifted into something duller. 

“Oh, that’s fine,” she nodded, rubbing her arm and speaking up again quickly. “How’s it going?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t question her about why she’d called him out when they hadn’t scheduled a patrol that night. 

She found herself wanting to be around Chat more and more often, and she couldn’t really figure out why. After battles with akumas, she found herself milking every last second with him that she could before they both had to leave. That night in particular, she just wanted to see him and hear his voice. 

“Oh, I’m great,” he grinned, placing his baton on his back. She tilted her head, wishing that she wasn’t guessing all the reasons for his smile. 

“Good day?” she wondered, settling down on the edge of the roof and watching him as he sat down next to her. His smile hadn’t faltered at all, and as he stared out at the city, his eyes only shone brighter. 

“Yeah! I had a date with my girlfriend,” he told her, and she tried to stop the pit from forming in her stomach. Adrien had gushed about going on a date with Kagami at school earlier that day too. She loved seeing that he was happy, but sometimes she just had to put it out of her mind. She began to feel something similar bubble up as she studied Chat’s grin. 

Her mind drifted back to Adrien, and then to Luka in Chat’s silence. Even though she’d succeeded, in her mind, at getting over her past crush, it wasn’t enough to start something with Luka. She could only feel guilt around him, and that wasn’t fair. 

And for some reason, all the boy trouble made her long to be around Chat even more. Being around him felt easy, or at least, it had. Every time she saw him, she felt her heart getting tighter, and she wanted to figure out why. 

“That’s great,” she smiled lightly, watching him glance at her. 

“Thanks,” he replied, kicking his legs as they dangled off the roof. She watched him for a moment, and then let out a breath that had been building in her lungs. 

“Wanna tell me about it?” she wondered, and he let out a small laugh, ducking his head. 

“If you don’t mind,” he answered, and she waved a hand at him, urging him on. That only made him smile wider, but it wasn’t for her. 

Chat began to talk about his date, but she couldn’t listen to the details. Simply hearing his voice made her heart feel fuzzy, so she focused on that, wondering if she couldn’t decipher some of her jumbled thoughts. 

Why did hearing about Chat’s girlfriend not make her happy? She wanted to be happy for him, so why couldn’t she be? She watched him as he talked, finding herself lost in the shimmer of his eyes. The lights of the city were reflected there, and he seemed so giddy that he was practically glowing. 

Ladybug pushed his girlfriend from her mind, remembering that she’d been telling Tikki that things felt different between her and her partner. He hadn’t been using nicknames for her anymore, and with his flirting all but gone, everything felt out of balance. Their dynamic as a team hadn’t suffered too much. They both seemed to fall into a familiar rhythm with each other, but once the danger was gone, she felt a loss of warmth that made her frown every time. 

She remembered that he’d said he couldn’t stay long and resisted the urge to sigh, feeling a deep sadness in her chest. She had never realized how much she adored having him around, and sitting there with him then made her feel like she could have stayed there with him for hours. 

“Ladybug?” he called, bringing her out of her thoughts. He was staring back at her, and she felt her cheeks light up a soft pink. 

“Sorry, yeah?” she said, smiling a little. He smiled back, furrowing his eyebrows. 

“I asked why you’d called me out here so suddenly,” he repeated, tilting his head a little as he watched her. She blushed brighter, knowing that she couldn’t tell him that she’d just wanted to be near him. Even though she was pretty sure that friends would say something like that, it still felt wrong to tell him, even if she couldn’t figure out why.

“Uh, well,” she started, scrambling for an answer that didn’t betray her true feelings. “I guess I was just feeling down today,” she told him, looking away briefly and biting the inside of her cheek. 

“Ah,” he nodded, lifting a leg to help himself stand. She glanced up at him, seeing that he was offering her a hand. She took it, and he pulled her up to meet him. 

“I have magical hugs, you know,” he told her, and she blinked at him, furrowing her eyebrows. “Want one?” She felt her heart skip a beat, but she knew that if she said no she would kick herself later. So she nodded, and he smiled. 

Chat stepped closer, and she raised her arms a little, feeling his move under hers and wrap around her middle. She was lifted from the ground as he pulled her gently against him, holding her to his chest like it was the most important thing he could be doing. 

Ladybug took a shaky breath in, having expected a short hug or something silly. But Chat seemed intent on holding her there, not saying a word. Her heart started to race, and she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping he wouldn’t be able to tell. But when she closed her eyes, her thoughts ran wild. Suddenly, all she could imagine was kissing him, and it made her even more panicked. Why was she thinking about Chat like that?

Oh. _Oh._

All at once, she realized what was going on. 

She was in love with Chat Noir. 

Her whole body seemed to light on fire, and she almost let a squeal burst from her lips. She was horrified that she hadn’t realized sooner. Was she that blind? 

Chat began to pull away just as she felt like screaming, meeting her with a warm smile that made her knees want to give out. 

“See?” he asked, letting his hands fall from her and her feet return to the ground. She blinked at him with wide eyes, knowing that he was talking about his self-proclaimed magical hugs but still frazzled beyond belief. 

She managed to nod, watching his smile widen proudly. 

“Yeah, I see now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading! i really appreciate you! <3
> 
> i can't believe that july is almost over!
> 
> here's my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	23. Day 23 - Chin Scratches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug offers Chat Noir a deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was partially inspired by [this amazing art](https://buggachat.tumblr.com/post/184834237793/more-ladynoir-i-never-posted) by [buggachat](https://buggachat.tumblr.com/) on tumblr! go check her out, she's incredible! 
> 
> enjoy!

Ladybug couldn’t stop smiling. 

She looked down at Chat, his head in her lap, and chuckled a little. Brushing the hair away from his eyes, she leaned down a little to see if he was still awake. 

“Hmm?” he hummed, stirring when she touched him. He blinked up at her and inhaled slowly, his eyes wide. She giggled at how cute he was, taking her hand away. 

“Nothing, just checking on you,” she said softly, sitting back up and looking out at the view. They’d chosen their personal beam on the Eiffel Tower to hang out that day. It wasn’t near any visitor platforms, and it wasn’t too high up. /But they had a great view of the Trocadéro, and it was finally starting to get warm again in Paris. 

They had just wanted to hang out together, but Chat had fallen asleep in her lap before too long. She didn’t mind; the calm and even nature of his breathing helped her think clearly and destress. 

“Speaking of that,” he said, turning so that his face was tilted up towards her. She smiled, raising her eyebrows. “How are you doing?” he wondered, and she felt her smile falter a little, thinking of all the things she had to be worried about. 

She let out a short chuckle, pushing her cheek against her right shoulder and thinking of an answer to give him. 

“I’m...getting by,” she decided, eyeing him and seeing his lips purse in thought. 

“That doesn’t sound like a ‘good’ to me,” he said like he always did, and she rolled her eyes lightheartedly, smiling down at him. 

“If I were always good, there would be something wrong with me,” she teased, pinching his nose for a second and making him laugh. He watched her quietly, and she let out a sigh, going over the mental list of all the things she needed to complete before 8 am the next day. 

“If I started buzzing, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised. I’m pretty stressed,” she admitted, seeing the corners of his mouth deepen into a frown. She tilted her head at him, wondering what his response would be. 

“I think what you _meant_ to say was you wouldn’t _bee_ surprised,” he told her pointedly, narrowing his eyes. She laughed, tilting her head back a little.

“I meant like a ladybug,” she told him, gesturing to the spots that covered her body. “You know, like how you purr?” she prompted, watching his cheeks grow pink. She giggled as he pouted at her, crossing his arms over his chest and making his elbow bump her side a little. 

“You said you wouldn’t tease me about that again!” he exclaimed, feigning offense. She snickered, flicking his bell playfully.

“You tease me all the time, so it’s only fair,” she said softly, watching him blow at the hair hanging in front of his face. She reached down and used the tuft of hair to tickle his nose, making him cry out and push her hands away. She laughed happily, leaning back as he sat up and scooted away from her. 

“That’s not fair at all!” he whined, rubbing his nose vigorously and making her laugh more. She immediately missed the warmth from him on her thighs, watching him and wishing he would come back. 

“I won’t do it very often,” she offered lightly, leaning towards him and pouting when he leaned away playfully. 

“Yes you will,” he retorted, sticking his tongue out at her. She frowned dramatically, pressing her hands down on her thighs and trying to retain some of the heat that he’d taken with him. 

“How about a deal?” she asked, glancing at him and seeing his eyebrows raise. 

“What kind of deal?” he wondered, and she chuckled, tapping her chin. 

“I get to tease you occasionally, and in return, I’ll scratch behind your ears whenever you want me to,” she offered, grinning when he began to blush again. He opened his mouth to speak but then promptly closed it again, looking away. She giggled at how cute he was, never imagining that he could get so flustered when she teased him. 

“Can you include chin scratches too?” he asked quietly, and she laughed, leaning forward and scratching under his chin playfully. He grinned, chuckling with her and catching her hand before she could pull it away. He kissed the back of it, blinking at her with big eyes. It was her turn to blush, and she looked away shyly as he let go of her hand. 

“Come lay back down. I’m getting cold,” she told him while she tried to calm her racing heart, wondering how one person could be so cute. He chuckled, laying his head back in her lap and staring up at her. 

She smiled down at him, reaching a hand out to begin to scratch behind his ears. A low rumble started to come from his throat, and she giggled to herself, wondering how on Earth that was possible. But she kept going, watching his eyes fall closed and smiling to herself. 

It wasn’t long before his breathing evened out again and his lips parted, signaling that he’d drifted off to sleep once again. She took her hand away from his hair, using her fingers to gently trace patterns on his cheek and wishing more than anything that she could feel his skin with her own. 

Cupping his cheek gently, she leaned down and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. He blinked up at her even though she hadn’t wanted to wake him up, and they both blushed. 

“No fair, m’lady,” he whispered softly, placing one hand over hers on his cheek and using his other hand to gently guide her back down to him. He kissed her properly, but before he could really enjoy it, she pulled away. She was smiling radiantly and blushing just as brightly as his hand fell from her neck. 

“Go back to sleep, kitty,” she said, beginning to scratch behind his ears again. He opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn’t argue.

Chat curled up against her, wrapping his arms around her waist and making her laugh. She waited until she was sure he’d dozed off again before blushing again and grinning herself silly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i adored writing this one asdfghjkl
> 
> thank you all for reading! i can't tell you how much your support means to me!! <3


	24. Day 24 - Post-Reveal, Pre-Relationship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug is pretty wiped out during their nightly patrol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was inspired by a conversation [miraculousmarinettelb](https://miraculousmarinettelb.tumblr.com/) ([her ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mjbwrites/pseuds/Mjbwrites))and I had a while back! she’s amazing, and you should go support her! <3
> 
> enjoy!

Chat was wiggling with excitement. He could hear her gentle voice filter through the trapdoor, and his muscles began to tense in anticipation. 

“Tikki, spots on!” he heard her exclaim in a quiet but still audible voice. He couldn’t help the smile that pressed into his cheeks, and he gripped the railing tighter. The lights in her room flicked off, bathing him in darkness from the little light that he’d gotten. On nights when she wasn’t planning to go out, she turned on the lights that hung on her balcony, and in that moment, he almost got distracted by thinking how radiant her skin looked under those lights. 

Focusing his attention back on the present, Chat watched as a spotted hand pushed the trapdoor open, holding his breath. He expected her to see him right away, but she turned and closed the door behind her quietly, her back to him. 

When she finally turned around and saw him, she jumped, squeaking and holding up her fists in self-defense. He laughed, making her realize that she wasn’t actually in any danger. 

“Chat!” she hissed, frowning at him but eventually giving in and laughing along. He gave her a playful grin as she lowered her fists, putting her hands on her hips. 

“I should push you off,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. He chuckled, tilting his head as she sighed and shook hers. He could tell she was tired, from the slump in her shoulders to the way she blinked slower than usual. Sometimes if she was swamped, she would leave the patrol to him, but since she’d become the guardian, that had been occurring less and less often. 

“Ready to head out, bugaboo?” he asked, readying his baton and raising his eyebrows at her. She smiled at him, nodding just before he took off. 

Their patrol route didn’t take them long to get through, especially since they’d been running it consistently for a few weeks at that point. He could tell that she was having a little trouble keeping up, so he took it easy and implemented a few shortcuts along the way since she’d let him take the lead. 

Once they’d circled back to the Notre Dame with no trouble in sight, he figured she should head home to get some rest. But before he could say anything, she stretched and sighed loudly, flopping down on the roof. 

“How was your day, kitty?” she asked, looking up at him with a fatigued smile. He blinked quickly, wanting to tell her how cute she looked but opting against it. 

“You mean after that brutal physics test?” he asked, sighing and sitting down next to her. She chuckled, yawning as she nodded. “It was fine. Fencing was tiring, but I learned how to call someone incompetent in Chinese, so today wasn’t completely terrible,” he told her playfully, hearing her hum and giggle. He glanced down at her as he sat up next to him, looking out at the Seine. She was so pretty without even trying, and the way she blinked slowly had his heart racing. 

It was moments like that where he imagined leaning over to kiss her and being able to taste the drowsiness on her lips. He longed to run his fingers through her hair until she fell asleep in his arms, holding her close and reassuring her that he would be there to keep her safe. 

He shook his head a little, tearing his eyes away from her and gazing at the moon. Hearing that she wasn’t ready to be in a relationship after they’d revealed their identities had come as a bit of a surprise to him, but he did everything he could to respect her wishes. The time he spent with her was something he would always treasure no matter what they were doing or what their relationship was. 

“What else?” she asked gently, leaning her head on his shoulder. He blinked down at her, unable to hold back the smile that spread across his face. She was completely adorable.

“Hmm, let’s see,” he said, drumming his fingers on his legs. She often asked him to talk about something when she wanted to be distracted, but she hadn’t seemed particularly stressed lately. He went along with it even though he had his questions, thinking carefully about his day.

“I got to hear Nathalie argue with someone over the phone about the stability of heels,” he told her, hearing a little giggle come from her direction. “I’ve never heard her so passionate about shoes.” With that, Ladybug pulled herself a little closer, wrapping her arms around Chat’s arm and holding onto it tightly. He tried to fight back the heat that rose to his cheeks, staring down at her and trying to think of something else to talk about. 

“Uh, I finished alphabetizing all of my video games on Tuesday,” he said, knowing that he’d already told her that but wondering if she was really listening. A soft hum came from her, and he could feel the gentle vibration of it on his shoulder. Was she dozing off already? 

“I’m actually the son of the famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste,” he joked, raising his eyebrows and listening for a response. He could only hear slow breaths moving in and out of her mouth as a reply. Chuckling quietly, he leaned down a little to get a glimpse of her face. 

Her eyes were closed, her eyelashes barely brushing the material of the mask that covered her cheeks. Her lips had parted slightly, making her look so adorable that he almost laughed out of joy.

Looking back out at the city, he sighed happily and felt his heart warm. She had told him that if she ever fell asleep around him that she would trust him to take her home, and he adored that she’d tasked him with something so cute. 

Chat began to slowly pull his arm out of her grasp, using it to support her back as he slipped his other arm under her knees to lift her up. He was always surprised at how heavily she slept and what lengths she would go to so that she wouldn't have to wake up. 

He glanced at her once more before jumping towards the bakery, making sure he wasn’t too rough as he carried her. 

When he landed on her balcony, he flipped open the trapdoor with his foot, dropping himself carefully onto her bed. He laid her head down on her pillow, pulling back the covers and slipping them over her as he laid the rest of her on the bed. 

Looking down at her, he felt a surge of love rush through his veins. He reached down, gently brushing her bangs away from her eyes. 

“Sweet dreams, Marinette,” he smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. He loved her so much.

Before he could pull away, he felt her arms wrap around and behind his neck. She was trying to pull him down, but he put his hands on either side of her, making sure he didn’t crush her. 

“Adrien,” she mumbled quietly, and his whole body lit on fire, wide eyes staring down at her. He remembered that she’d mentioned her sleep-talking habits, but he’d never been there to see it personally. 

“I-I have to go,” he whispered, feeling her give another tug against the back of his neck to try and pull him down. He resisted, and a small pout came to rest on her lips even though her eyes were still closed. 

“Stay,” she breathed out, making his stomach flip. He stared down at her in disbelief, wondering if she was really sleeping. 

Chat reached up with one hand and peeled her arms from off him, moving to the side of her so she wouldn’t pull him back. He watched her warily to make sure she wouldn’t wake up, standing to leave as his heart slowed down a little. 

“No,” he heard her whine softly. He looked back down to see her reaching for him, and he offered his hand, blushing brightly. 

“I can’t stay, m’lady,” he told her, watching as she shifted, turning onto her side and holding his hand tightly to her chest. He bit down on his tongue, looking around for something for her to grab onto instead of him. 

“Why?” she wondered after a moment of him looking around in the dark of her room. He blinked down at her, a thousand scenarios running through his mind. If her parents found him in their daughters bed, there was no telling how dead he would be. Plus, he knew she didn’t really want him to stay. She was just sleep-talking. 

But the thought still ran through his mind as he shook his head, knowing that he couldn’t. 

“I just can’t. I’m sorry,” he replied gently, giving a small tug against her grip but finding that she wasn’t budging. 

After a few moments, she let out a long exhale, loosening her hold on him. 

“I love you,” she whispered, letting his hand go and completely flooring him. 

_What?_

Chat stared down at his partner in disbelief, not knowing what to think. 

“W-what?” he asked, a breath catching in his throat as he waited for her to say more. She remained quiet, only short, even breaths coming from her. He ran a hand through his hair, acknowledging that his heart was going crazy. 

He glanced at the trapdoor above him, giving it a slight push to open it without being too loud. Nothing in him wanted to leave, but he wasn’t going to stay no matter how much he wanted to hear those three words come out of her mouth again. 

Looking down at her one more time, he hoisted himself out of her room, closing the trapdoor silently and letting out a heavy sigh. He held his head in disbelief, wondering what it had meant. 

Letting out a small laugh, he stood up and prepared to leap. But before he could, he turned back, smiling to himself. 

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe i loved writing this one
> 
> i hope you all enjoyed, and thank you for taking the time to read this! 
> 
> just a heads up, I'll be participating in Miraculous Ladybug Christmas in July, which is a week-long event themed around the holiday season! It runs from the 25th to the 31st, and I'll make a new work here on ao3!
> 
> stay safe and stay tuned! <3
> 
> here's my tumblr too <3 [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	25. Day 25 - Pining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette really wants to see Adrien.

Marinette paced across the length of her room, groaning when the aching in her feet only grew more painful. 

“Maybe you’re trying to wear yourself out so you can sleep, but I don’t think this will solve anything, Marinette,” Tikki said softly, watching the scene worriedly. Marinette stopped and ran her hands through her loose hair, sighing. 

“I feel like I should be trying to help in some way,” she breathed out, looking at her kwami with sad eyes. Tikki frowned, nodding and floating closer to Marinette. 

“I know, but there’s not a lot you can do right now except support him. And you’re doing a wonderful job of that,” Tikki said gently, touching Marinette’s cheek before giving her a sweet smile. Marinette twisted her lips, furrowing her eyebrows and puffing some air up into her bangs.

“But what if I could be doing _more_?” she asked, walking past Tikki and shooting a glare at the unfinished project on her desk. 

“You could call him again,” Tikki suggested, and Marinette shook her head at the situation as a whole. 

Adrien had begun standing up for himself against his father, aiming to start doing the things that made him happy instead of what his father wanted him to be doing. Of course, it wasn’t going well at the moment, but Adrien had known that would happen. It had been two weeks since he’d been taken out of school, and Marinette wished more than anything that she could help in some way. 

“I called him half an hour ago,” she sighed, flopping down in her desk chair and feeling useless. 

She thought about inviting him out as Chat Noir, but his bodyguard stood just outside his bedroom door constantly. If they found out that he was leading a double-life, there was no telling what would happen. 

Marinette buried her face in her hands, wanting to go see him despite all of it. She peeked through her hands at Tikki, watching the kwami floating over to the plate of cookies with a small frown. 

Taking a deep breath, Marinette stood up and tried to think positively. Even if she could only catch a glimpse of him, even if it was only a few whispered words through his window, she wanted to see Adrien, so she would.

“Tikki,” she called gently, giving her kwami a smile and receiving a kind one in return. “Spots on.” Her transformation took over, amplifying her confidence and determination. 

As she lifted her foot to the railing of her balcony, she imagined herself kissing Adrien as she hung into his window. The thought almost made her slip, but she caught herself, blushing brightly and laughing.

Ladybug started towards his house, enjoying the cold wind on her face. As she got closer, the tip of the tallest point of the mansion coming into view, she felt giddiness flooding through her system. She laughed again, jumping across a gap but not quite landing with perfect balance on the other side. 

She stumbled, waving her arms wildly in an attempt to keep herself upright, but she slipped on an uneven tile and felt her world tip. 

Steady arms caught her before she could get much farther, startling her. She gasped, looking up at who had saved her and coming face to face with Chat Noir. 

“Chat!” she exclaimed, moving to hug him tightly and feeling her heart soar. She heard him laugh a little, relishing in the sound and grinning into his shoulder. 

“It’s no big deal, m’lady. It happens,” he chuckled, hugging her back lightly. She pulled away quickly, looking over his face in delight. 

“I’ve missed you so much,” she told him, and his expression softened as she moved to put her hands on his shoulders.

“I’ve missed you too,” he smiled, and before she knew it, she was kissing him, holding him close and wishing she would never have to let go. He laughed a little against her lips, kissing her back happily.

When they both pulled away, he had them step away from the edge of the roof, and a question came into her mind.

“Wait, how did you get out?” she asked, and he let out a short laugh. 

“He thinks I’m sleeping,” he answered, running a hand through his moonlit hair as she gazed at her. “I can’t risk staying for too long.” Even though she knew her visit would be brief, her shoulders dropped. Chat moved to place his hands on them, giving her a reassuring but sad smile.

“This won’t last forever,” he spoke softly, bending down a little to draw her eyes back up from the ground. She searched his own, sighing.

“I hope not,” she nodded, giving him a small smile. When he smiled back, she could tell that he was going to make a joke, but she couldn’t complain.

“Wow, you like me _that_ much? I must be a pretty awesome guy,” he teased, taking his hands off her shoulders and placing them on his hips proudly. She giggled, watching his eyes lock onto her. She couldn’t help but grin.

She heard his jokes over the phone, but being locked away at home hadn’t made it very easy to want to joke around for Adrien. She wished more than anything that she could get him back to school, even just for one day. 

She stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on his cheek and surprising him a little. 

“I’m proud of you,” she told him, watching as he blinked back with wide eyes. 

“Even if what I’m trying to do makes it so we can’t see each other that often?” he asked, trying to sound playful. She could hear the sadness in his voice no matter how he tried to mask it. She nodded in reply, and that brought his smile back. He leaned into her touch, bringing a hand up and placing it over her own. She was admiring the way the moonlight was reflecting in his eyes when she saw them dull just a little. 

“I should get back,” he whispered, giving her a small smile. “And you should go get some sleep.” She breathed out quickly, smiling up at him. 

“How can I? I got to stare into your dreamy eyes and kiss you in the moonlight,” she said playfully, pressing a hand to her cheek dramatically. His eyes lit up again, and he laughed, the sound being music to her ears. She giggled along with him, unable to help it. She adored those moments with him even more than she knew.

“Did you say kiss? I don’t think I remember that,” he said, tapping his chin with a finger and smirking at her a little when she snickered. 

“Is that so? Maybe I can refresh your memory,” she said, playing along. She moved onto her tiptoes, meeting his lips with her own in a gentle but longing kiss. It didn’t last nearly long enough, both of them sighing when they pulled away. They took one last look and let their hands fall from each other reluctantly. 

“Bye Marinette,” he spoke gently, and she felt her heart break just a little. She looked him over, wishing more than anything that she could go with him. 

“Bye Adrien.” He stared at her for a moment before leaving her with just a smile, and she sighed deeply. 

As she watched him return to the prison that his home had become, she became determined to do anything she could to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _haha im tired_
> 
> thank you all for reading! i hope you enjoy this last week of Ladynoir July! 
> 
> also, I'm participating in ML Christmas in July this week, so go check that out too! thank you again! <3


	26. Day 26 - Sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both superheroes have to sacrifice time with their significant other to protect their city. Or just joke around with each other.

Marinette smiled across the table at Luka, touching the lid of her coffee cup absentmindedly. She had tried to laugh at what he’d said, but it wouldn’t have been genuine. She just wasn’t in the mood for a long conversation that afternoon. She would have rather taken a bike ride along the Seine, or gone rollerskating, or…

She tried to push those thoughts from her mind, being happy that she was able to spend time with her boyfriend. 

“So how was your day, Marinette?” he asked sweetly, crossing his arms on the table and leaning forward. She let out a breathy laugh, looking down and pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. If she was honest, that was the last thing she wanted to talk about, but she knew that he would be patient and hear her out no matter what she said.

“Well, it was--” she started to say, being interrupted by a cluster of cars crashing down in the street only half a block away from where they were seated. Marinette jumped up immediately, looking at Luka as he shielded his head. Screams rang out across the city, and she looked around hurriedly, trying to formulate a plan.

First, she needed to get Luka to safety. Next, she needed to become separated from him convincingly so she could transform. 

Making sure her purse was secure on her shoulder, she eyed the subway entrance, taking a deep breath to prepare herself. 

“Luka,” she said firmly, helping him stand from his chair as dust settled. 

“Everyone, follow us!” he yelled, seeming to have already read Marinette’s mind. Well, most of it. 

She watched as Luka waved his arm, a crowd of people following the couple and rushing towards the subway entrance. Marinette glanced over her shoulder to continue planning, seeing a child struggling to reach his mother’s hand. She fell back, giving the boy a boost and purposefully losing Luka in the crowd. He looked back at her worriedly, but she gave him a reassuring smile as they began down the stairs that led underground. 

Just then, she ducked away from the crowd, hoping that Luka would prioritize his safety and not look for her too hard. She hated leaving him like that, and she hated the anger and worry in his eyes when she found him after the fight. But she had no choice. 

Finding a secluded area, she transformed quickly, finding a vantage point to try and assess the situation. The akuma seemed to have a lot of destructive power, but if they worked efficiently, hopefully they could lessen the amount of people who would get hurt. 

Landing on the nearest rooftop, she saw that Chat Noir was already engaged with the villain, keeping it busy from the looks of his movements. She shielded her eyes from the sun overhead, catching Chat’s eye and waving him over. 

He threw another blow towards the akuma and then withdrew from the fight. The two of them backed up a few rooftops, and it was then that she noticed that Chat seemed a little more flustered than usual. 

“Hey,” she nodded, watching him lean down with his hands on his thighs to take a break. “Are you doing alright?” she wondered, taking a step closer. He chuckled breathily, nodding. 

“I’m fine. It was a struggle to get away from my girlfriend though. She’s pretty protective,” he laughed, and she nodded slowly, taking note of his expression. He looked ready to get the fight over with, and she didn’t know why that made her a little sad because she’d thought the same thing not minutes earlier. 

“Now you get to protect her in return,” Ladybug smiled, clapping a hand on his shoulder to let him know she was ready to get out there. “Any clues where the akuma’s hiding?” she asked, pulling out her yo-yo and staring the villain down as it yelled in rage, throwing the top half of a chimney into the distance. 

“Leave it to me, Ladybug! I’m your certified akuma-detector!” he said enthusiastically, leaping back towards the fight. She blinked at him, forgetting to follow him for a second so she could laugh. On days like that, his jokes always seemed to be exactly what she needed. 

They both went to work at wearing down the akuma to find any weaknesses. Eventually, Chat noticed the purple clip in the villain’s hair, yelling it out to her. His message left her briefly distracted, and that earned her a blow to the side from the akuma. The momentum launched her into a chimney, leaving a significant crater in the brick. It knocked the breath out of her, and for a moment her head spun so wildly that she couldn’t see straight or find her balance, falling to the ground.

When she looked up again, she could tell that another strike was coming her way, but all she could do was lift her arm as a shield and hope her suit would take most of the damage. 

Before she could find out, Chat scooped her up, running out of the akuma’s range. She held her head, focusing until she could see clearly again. 

“You should really rethink your strategy,” Chat sighed, shaking his head jokingly. She stared up at him, watching him smirk a little. “I don’t remember giving you _purr-mission_ to lie down on the job,” he teased, looking down at her in his arms. 

If it were any other day, she would have just sighed in exasperation. But with her head spinning and his arms feeling like a gentle hug that she definitely needed in that moment, Ladybug giggled. The sound made Chat’s eyes widen and a slight tint rise into his cheeks. 

“I’ll do better, Mr. Akuma-Detector,” she joked right back, saluting him and making him laugh loudly once he’d snapped out of his momentary daze. She smiled up at him, wondering if it was the bright, summer sun or just his smile that was making the air around him seem so warm. 

Chat set her down, making sure she was okay and allowing himself to blush more when she wasn’t looking. They headed back into the fight after she called on her Lucky Charm, both of them feeling more confident. 

Neither of them could resist joking around with each other as they finished preparing their plan, both the superheroes laughing as Ladybug secured her Lucky Charm in place. And the way he stuck his tongue out at her when he Cataclysmed the purple clip almost made her trip.

When the akuma was finally purified, their fistbump was accompanied by two wide grins. 

“This was fun,” he said, the joking lilt ever present in his voice. She found herself wondering if his eyes were always so green before he continued. “We should do it again sometime.” She snickered, lifting one shoulder in a playful shrug.

“Let’s not make it too often,” she quipped, and his grin softened into a warm smile that made her stomach feel funny. 

“I look forward to it,” he told her gently, and she couldn’t help the blush that flooded into her cheeks. It burned as she watched him jump away, and she would have kept staring after him if the akuma victim hadn’t spoken up out of confusion. 

It turned out that Chat Noir had been exactly what she’d needed that day, so maybe it hadn’t been the worst time for an akuma after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love them so much ahhhhhh
> 
> thank you all for reading! your support makes my day everytime, and i can’t tell you how much it means to me! <3


	27. Day 27 - Embrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug needs a hug when Chat Noir breaks some bad news to her.

Ladybug grit her teeth in frustration, getting up off the ground and leaping out of the line of fire quickly. 

“You okay?” Chat called out, dodging the akuma’s hits and looking at her worriedly. She sighed, staring down at her Lucky Charm again and clenching her hands around it. 

“I’m lost,” she said in return, and he landed by her side in moments, pulling her behind cover. They crouched down, and Chat put both of his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him with a frown, feeling overwhelmed and utterly useless at the moment. 

“We’ve both made mistakes both now and in the past,” he told her gently. “What matters right now is to focus and breathe. Forget what has happened and think about what needs to happen, okay?” he said, smiling at her and lifting her heart. She searched his eyes, wondering how he always knew exactly what to say. She realized how much more lost she would be without him there with her. 

“Thanks, Chat,” she smiled back, watching his shoulders relax and his head tilt in relief. 

“That’s my bug. Let’s do this,” he said confidently, standing up again and offering her a hand. She took a deep breath in as she stood to meet him, the two of them peering out at the akuma and putting their brains back into action. 

It wasn’t hard for the superheroine after that. She felt like she could fly when she remembered the faith she’d seen in her partner’s eyes. It further cemented to her how essential he was. No one would ever be able to replace him. 

When the fight was finally over, Ladybug was breathless, grinning at her partner. She couldn’t remember another battle that had left her feeling so high, and she knew without a doubt that it was because of him and him alone. 

“Pound it!” she grinned, bumping fists with Chat. They were smiling at each other, but there was something in his eyes that caught her attention. 

Before she could ask, she rushed over to the poor girl who’d been akumatized, helping her stand and explaining the situation. Chat stood nearby and watched, and when she turned to meet him after sending the girl on her way, the look in his eyes had darkened considerably. 

“Chat?” she called, seeming to bring him out of his thoughts. He took a slow breath in, sighing it out and running his hands through his hair. 

“Do you have time to talk?” he asked, stepping forward and pushing her hair away from her ear to check her earrings. The gentle gesture almost made her blush, but she was more focused on what he would need to talk about. 

“Same as me,” he told her, backing up and sighing once more. “I’m going out of town.” She blinked at him, furrowing her eyebrows and feeling her heart drop. Her lips parted before she knew what to say, and for a few seconds nothing wanted to come out. 

“For how long?” she asked after taking a breath. He frowned, crossing his arms and looking away from her. 

“The better part of the week,” he replied, and she felt a weight drop onto her chest, almost making her breathless. There had begun to be an akuma attack everyday, making her stress levels skyrocket. How would she be able to do it without him? 

“I’m sorry. I can’t get out of it,” he told her, stepping closer and hurting her more with the pain in his eyes. She shook her head at his apology, wishing she didn’t feel like she could cry.

“I understand,” she said quietly, letting her eyes fall to the ground in time to see him clench his fists at his sides. 

“I know you’ll be okay,” he said after a moment of silence. She looked up at him, wanting to believe the conviction in his voice. “You’re Ladybug. You’re strong and determined and so smart,” he continued, sunshine returning to his voice even under the light of the moon. It made her want to smile too, but that was nothing new for him. 

“Thanks, kitty,” she said, letting a small smile grace her lips. 

“You’re welcome,” he replied, letting out a breathy laugh and blinking at her through his eyelashes. She blinked back, watching as he opened his arms for a hug. It was never an option in her mind not to accept it, her heart jumping just a little at the opportunity. 

Ladybug stepped forward, pressing herself onto her tiptoes and hugging him tightly. She wrapped her arms behind his neck, feeling his arms move to circle around her middle. He was warm, and it immediately made her feel safe. In his arms, it felt like nothing would ever go wrong, and that was the way she liked it. 

She heard him exhale slowly next to her ear, his head coming to rest against her left shoulder. It made her face flush a little, but she was nowhere near uncomfortable. 

Suddenly, both of their miraculouses beeped, and they both jumped just a little. 

“I should go,” he spoke against her, letting her feel his voice resonate in his chest. But the words sounded wrong to her. It was the last thing she wanted to hear. 

When she hadn’t moved to let him go, he placed a flat palm against the small of her back, rubbing it just a little. He was comforting her, and she didn’t want him to stop. Her throat suddenly felt dry, but she let her thoughts out into the night air. 

“I don’t want to let go,” she whispered, moving closer and feeling the muscles in his arms tense around her slightly. Saying the thought out loud made her heart race, but she didn’t expect it to go much faster. That was until he pulled her even closer. 

Chat wrapped one arm under her right, letting it rest across her shoulder blades and placing his hand on her left shoulder. His other arm snaked around the length of her waist, his fingers wrapping around her side to brush her stomach. She let out a shaky breath, pressing her forehead into his shoulder.

She’d never been so close to him for so long, but she wasn’t finding anything to complain about. His scent was all around her, and it was pleasant and soft and made her head feel fuzzy. She could have fallen asleep in his arms if it weren’t for her heart beating like she was running a marathon. She never wanted to let go. 

But their miraculouses beeped again, and Ladybug opened her eyes, feeling his hold on her loosen. 

“M’lady,” he whispered lightly, his breath tickling her neck. She pressed her lips together, knowing he needed to go. They both did. 

They both moved to pull away, and when their eyes met again, his were so warm. He stopped for a second, gazing at her so softly that she felt like she could melt, and then let his hands fall from her. 

Smiling gently, he turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand, making him look back once more. 

“See you soon,” she spoke, squeezing his hand and feeling him return the gesture. 

“See you soon, little bug.” She let his hand go, watching him tear his eyes from her and disappear into the dark. 

Everything inside of her felt warm and fuzzy from his embrace, but she couldn’t ignore how cold she felt in his absence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gosh i love making them hug i just asdfghjkl
> 
> thank you for taking the time to read! it means so much to me! <3 
> 
> only a few more days left! <3


	28. Day 28 - Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Chat Noir hears something he wasn't meant to, it leads to a conversation that he never thought would happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by number 33 on [this](https://a-cure-for-writers-block.tumblr.com/post/171530282467/100-dialogue-prompts-to-make-a-reader-swoon) prompt list by [a-cure-for-writers-block](https://a-cure-for-writers-block.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!
> 
> enjoy!

Chat Noir was grinning from ear to ear. It had been such a rough week, and being able to see Ladybug that night would cheer him up without a doubt. 

As he leapt from roof to roof, he felt like he could fly if he wanted. His limbs felt light, and his shoulders were finally free of all the tension. He was tingling with anticipation knowing that she was probably waiting for him. 

When he spotted her, he felt as if his heart was taking up any room left in his chest. He breathed out quickly, landing on the opposite end of the roof that she was standing on. Her back was to him, and she was staring out at the city, her hair blowing behind her.

Chat walked quietly towards her, noticing that she hadn’t heard or seen him. Should he scare her? No, he would probably get hit for that. He wanted her to be in a good mood, so he decided not to test her patience.

He ran his hand along the chimney he was passing, about to call out to her when he heard her speak up first. 

“I love you.” He stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth dropping open at the words she’d said so confidently. Who was she talking to?

“No, I can’t just come out and say it!” she exclaimed, placing both hands on her head and crouching down. He watched in shock, slowly stepping behind the chimney to hide himself. She placed both hands flat on the roof, sighing loudly and shaking her head. He felt his heart ache at her distress, and he tried to ignore the pain of hearing the girl he loved practicing her confession to someone else. 

“Okay, let’s start again,” she breathed, standing up and shaking her hands out. He debated whether he should reveal himself, but something kept him hidden in the shadows. 

“Oh, hey! Didn’t see you there,” she started, wincing when she threw out finger guns. He couldn’t help but smile watching her. “Me? I’m great! Peachy as can be,” she continued, sighing out in near-exasperation like she had no control over the words coming out of her mouth. He bit his lip to keep in a laugh, feeling his heart warm. He had no idea she could be so adorable. 

“But I want to tell you something,” was what he heard next, the tone of her voice shifting deeper. She stood with an open mouth, thinking over her words and then furrowing her eyebrows. 

“I love you, Chat Noir,” she said, and Chat tilted his head. Had he heard her wrong? Was the wind making him hear things? 

“Why can’t I think of anything else to say?” she asked loudly, pulling on the ends of her pigtails as Chat’s stomach bottomed out. 

He’d been right. 

For a few months at that point, he’d noticed something change in the way she acted towards him. She seemed more nervous to be in close proximity with him. When she accidentally touched him or bumped into him, there was always a flustered apology. Saying something even mildly affectionate had become nearly impossible for her, no matter how cute it was to him. 

All of it had confused him, but when he asked around, everyone said that she had a crush on him. After being rejected and shot down so many times, he’d accepted that she didn’t return his feelings. So learning that she might actually feel the same way wasn’t something that he could easily accept. 

But hearing her practicing to tell him was a different story. 

He felt like it hit him all at once, and the result was him nearly falling over. He steadied himself against the bricks of the chimney, stuttering out an exhale and feeling a rush of adrenaline race through him. 

He tried to tune his ears back to her, ignoring the thoughts raging in his head for a moment. 

“Maybe when he gets here I’ll just know what to say,” she said to herself, laughing nervously. “Ah, who am I kidding? This isn't a movie!” she yelled, making butterflies flutter around in his core. 

Chat tried to gather himself together again, his heart pounding with excitement and giddiness and pure joy. He took a deep breath and a step out past the cover of the chimney, turning to walk in her direction.

“Hey, m’lady,” he called, watching her jump in surprise. She was already blushing, but she quickly tried to hide it by fixing her bangs and turning her head. 

“Oh, hey Chat,” she said, trying to be nonchalant. He almost laughed at the fact that they were both putting on facades for each other. 

“How are you?” he asked, stopping a few paces in front of her and looking her once over. Her body language exuded nervousness, and he tilted his head, feeling his fingertips tingling anxiously as well. 

“I’m fine!” she laughed, the sound coming out strained. He pressed his lips into a thin line, watching her avoid his eyes. 

“Are you sure?” he asked, ducking his head a little and trying to make her look at him.

“Yeah!” she smiled, waving off the conversation and taking a deep breath. “Ready to go?” she asked, taking out her yo-yo and throwing it without waiting for him to answer. He blinked at her, watching her body soar away from him at dizzying speed. 

Chat followed behind her, trying to keep what he thought would be a comfortable distance for her. Her movements still seemed tense, but he hoped the exertion would help calm her. It allowed him to burn off some of the adrenaline, the cool night air giving his mind room to breathe. He wondered how he could talk to her about it, assuming that she wouldn’t bring it up on her own. 

When they stopped for a breather, Ladybug lowered herself to sit on the roof, his eyes glued to her. He could hear her labored breathing and sat down next to her, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. 

“Just for a few minutes,” she said quietly, and he turned to look at her, seeing a blush blooming in the apples of her cheeks.

“Sure,” he said softly, watching her glance at him for less than a second and then look away, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. 

They sat in heavy silence as Chat planned out how to bring it up, his heart racing. He turned to look at her, trying to get a feel for how she was doing. 

“Why do you keep staring at me?” she asked suddenly, making him jump just a little. It was his turn to blush, his gaze flitting to his lap. 

“Sorry,” was all he could say. Any idea of how to start the conversation was gone, his mind a jumbled mess again.

“It just makes me nervous,” she said, intertwining her fingers on her thighs. He glanced up at her.

“Why?” he wondered, watching her shoulders lift towards her ears. 

“W-well because...it just does,” she answered tensely, making him smile a little. She was blushing again, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. 

She sighed out, ducking her head. 

“You’re doing it again,” she said firmly, turning to look at him. Suddenly, they were a lot closer than they meant to be, and both pairs of eyes widened. He stared into her eyes for a moment, his heart beating against his ribs. 

“I…” he breathed out, able to smell the gentle aroma of vanilla coming from her. He took a deep breath through his nose, gathering all his confidence.

“I think you need to tell me the truth about how you feel towards me,” he said, just above a whisper. He could hear the breath catch in her throat, her face turning a gentle shade of pink. 

“Chat, I…” She trailed off, searching his eyes and exhaling shakily. 

“I heard you practicing to tell me,” he told her, seeing realization flash in her eyes. She looked away for a moment, placing a hand on the roof between them to steady herself. 

“Then you already know,” she spoke, looking up at him through her eyelashes and making his heart skip a beat. 

“How long?” he asked after a moment, seeing a smile pass over her lips briefly. 

“A while,” was her reply, her eyes searching his. He could feel her breath against his cheek, lifting his eyebrows when she let her lips part in preparation to say more. 

“I don’t know, you’re just...so important to me,” she said, glancing all around his face and then back to his eyes. Those simple words made him feel like collapsing right there, but she seemed like she still had more to say. 

“I’m not great at saying how I feel,” she whispered, tilting her head just a little and sending him a hopeless look that made him want to swoon. He took a few shallow breaths in between the rapid pumps of his heart beating, lifting a hand and pressing it to her cheek softly.

“Then don’t,” he whispered back, watching as she blinked at him in surprise. 

She was the one to lean forward and press her lips to his, her hands finding his shoulders in an attempt to steady herself. He pulled her closer, the two of them getting lost in their feelings for each other so easily. 

It was all he’d ever wanted. To know that she wanted it, wanted him, was all he could ever ask for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH I LOVED WRITING THIS ONE
> 
> i love them so much oh my gosh
> 
> thank you all for reading! this month is almost over but it’s been so fun and it flew by!! <3


	29. Day 29 - Against the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir only have each other.

“Ladybug!” 

“Why are you doing this?”

“How dare you lie to us!” 

Ladybug stared back at the herd of reporters and gathering protestors, feeling tears well in her eyes. The dark grey sky was giving way to rain, the heavy drops beginning to come down steadily all around them. Her heart felt so heavy.

Chat took her hand, making her look back at him. His eyes were full of the same anguish she felt, but he tried to give her a small smile. The rain was coming down harder, streaming down his face and flattening his hair on his head. 

“Let’s go,” he said softly, barely audible over the bitter shouts coming from behind them that she’d tried to block out. 

They began to walk across the street, and then Chat stopped to wrap an arm around her, bringing them up to the rooftops. They ran until they were almost out of time, taking shelter under an umbrella on the roof of a hotel. 

Ladybug hugged herself, the cold of the rain permeating through her suit. Or maybe it was just the sadness she felt. Either way, she was shivering as Chat looked down at her. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, making her gaze up at him. He knew the answer. It was always the same. But he still made an effort to ask, even when it only made her angrier. 

“No,” she breathed, a violent shudder rocking her body and making him frown. He pulled her into his chest, rubbing her back and trying to return some of the heat she’d lost. 

She closed her eyes as her head came to lean on his chest, breathing out shakily. She couldn’t help but think about how it would have been not even months before that day. 

They would battle the akuma with ease, smiling at each other when they finished. The reporters would smile and wave, and Ladybug would tell them that Chat Noir and her were there to keep them safe. They always would be. 

But somehow, Hawkmoth had uprooted all of that. 

Whoever he was without his miraculous, he had connections. He’d convinced the whole of Paris, slowly, that Ladybug and Chat Noir were the real villains. That he was the true hero who was sent to protect the city. She’d laughed the first time she’d heard it, but even imagining a sunny day from the past like that made her want to cry. 

Ladybug tried to ground herself in the present, there with Chat, taking a deep breath. 

“My parents,” she spoke, trying to focus on the steady beat of his heart or the way his hands were running up and down her back. 

“They were talking about how they can’t trust me, can’t trust Ladybug anymore,” she told Chat, feeling a painful lump forming in her throat. Chat’s hands paused near her shoulders, and he wrapped her in a hug instead, the pressure making her push out a quiet, breathy sob. 

“I’m sorry, Marinette,” he whispered, making her want to cry harder. She felt guilty about complaining to him when she knew that he hadn’t had the support of his father in years. That made her remember his promise to her from a few weeks previous. 

_“I will always be here for you.”_

She pressed her forehead to his chest, sighing out and shivering again. 

“We won’t let him win,” he spoke. She could feel the way his arms tightened with anger, lifting her head to meet his eyes. His wet hair was reaching far down his face, his lips set into a firm line. 

“We’re the good guys here. Always remember that, m’lady,” he told her, his voice a much softer tone. He looked down at her, reaching up to wipe a tear as it streamed down her cheek. 

“Why can’t anyone else see that?” she asked, knowing there was no answer he could give. She didn’t understand how everyone had been blinded so easily. All he could do was hold her tighter and try to ignore the warnings their miraculouses were giving them. 

“We should go,” she whispered after a few more moments in his arms. It was one of the only places she felt safe anymore. She listened as he took a deep breath in and then sighed, letting his arms loosen. She tilted her head to look up at him again, hating the look of utter despair she found there. 

“Please be careful, Adrien,” she pleaded, reaching up to press a hand to his cheek. The gesture and the utterance of his name made him blink quickly. “I can’t lose you.” His eyebrows twitched downwards, and he tilted his head to lead into her hand. 

“You won’t ever lose me,” he said absolutely. Those simple words made her heart feel lighter, and she gave him the brightest smile she could. 

Chat looked her over once more and then pulled himself away from her. She immediately felt the loss of his warmth, lifting her arms to hug herself again. 

Chat stepped out into the rain, readying his baton before looking back at her. 

“Call me, okay?” he asked, giving her a wave when she smiled. 

Ladybug took a moment to take a deep breath and ready herself, gazing out at the city once more before heading home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst angst angst
> 
> thank you all for reading! i know it’s a shorter one today, but i really struggled with an idea for this one. although it would be interesting to read an AU with a concept like this 
> 
> thank you for all your support! you’re amazing! <3


	30. Day 30 - Rooftop Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Marinette forgets about a rooftop date with Chat Noir, things go a lot worse than you'd expect.

Marinette was asking for Tikki to transform her before she could really think, just wanting to get some fresh air after burying herself in homework for hours on end. She was sure there was something else she was forgetting to finish, but right then she just needed to breathe. 

Becoming Ladybug made her feel better immediately, her muscles feeling stronger and not so exhausted. She flipped off the lights in her room and left from her balcony, swinging past the school and loving the sensation of the cold night air breezing past her. 

She swung for a minute or so, but then caught sight of Chat Noir waving her down. She changed her course, landing beside him and wondering what he was doing. When she saw the setup he had surrounding him, her heart dropped.

_I forgot!_

Ladybug’s eyes widened before Chat could say a word, immense guilt flooding her system. 

Chat Noir had invited Marinette out for a rooftop movie date, bragging about his fancy projector and the inflatable couch he’d invested in. There were numerous snacks laid out, a cooler full of drinks she knew he’d handpicked for her, and he’d popped some popcorn that had undoubtedly gotten cold. 

She’d forgotten about their date. 

“Hey, Ladybug,” he spoke, sounding more worried than sad. She lifted her wide eyes to look at him, frozen solid in horror. What had she done?

“U-uh, hi,” she said, swallowing hard and trying to smile. 

“Didn’t know you’d be out tonight,” he said, rubbing his arm and glancing back at the setup that looked so fun. “Marinette was supposed to meet me here, but she hasn’t shown up,” he told her, making her heart sink at the sadness in her boyfriend’s voice. 

“Oh,” was all she could get out, seeing him nod and tilt his head. 

“I really hope she’s okay,” he sighed, scratching the back of his head and then looking up at her quickly. “I’m gonna go check on her.” His words hit her like a wave, horror crashing over her once more. 

“I could go for you,” she offered quickly, trying to quell the determination in his emerald eyes. He shook his head, shooting her a smile. 

“She hasn’t answered any of my calls, so something must be up,” he told her, stretching his arms a little and making her more guilty. He’d been waiting for at least an hour, and her phone was probably dead on her desk. 

“Plus, she’s my girlfriend,” he smiled, leaping from the roof and leaving her gaping. She’d really messed up. 

Ladybug chased after him, frantically trying to come up with an excuse so that he wouldn’t discover that Marinette wasn’t home. 

“Chat, wait!” she called out when they reached the school. Landing hard on the roof, she ran over to him, pressing a shaky hand over her heart.

“I’ll go in, okay? What if she’s super mad at you?” she tried to reason, seeing him mull it over for a moment. She watched him hopefully, but then he met her eyes again with that stubbornness. 

“What if it’s an akuma?” he said, and she grit her teeth, unable to come up with a good argument against that before he made the jump to her balcony. He gently tapped on the trapdoor after looking through it and not seeing her asleep on her bed, making four light raps on the glass. They waited for a few moments, and she couldn’t help but watch his face, feeling the worry radiating off him. 

“Something’s wrong,” he said through his teeth, pulling the door open and slipping through the opening. 

“Chat, wait,” she pleaded, completely lost as to what she was supposed to do. The situation had spiraled a lot faster than she’d expected, and she felt panic spreading through her body like a wildfire. 

She followed him through the opening, seeing him jump down from the loft and look around. She walked up next to him, her throat running dry. 

“Maybe she’s downstairs,” he spoke quietly before she could come up with anything at all. She moved to follow him, but right then, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs leading to her room. Chat’s eyes lit up in anticipation, but she knew it was probably her mom, everything in her body going into high alert. 

“Marinette?” she heard her mother call up, knocking gently on the trapdoor. Her blood ran cold as she watched Chat’s expression turn to confusion, and she felt sick. The moments that passed them by in silence felt so heavy that she could suffocate, scrambling for how to fix the situation. 

“Honey? Can I come in?” her mom called again, beginning to push open the trapdoor and letting in some light. 

“One second, Mom!” she called out. “I’m changing.” Her words made her mother close the door again and chuckle a little. 

Chat’s eyes moved to her, becoming wider than she’d ever seen. His lips had parted in shock, and she watched as he started to speak, her hand coming up to cover his mouth before he could alert her mother that there was someone else in her room. 

She’d gotten so close to him so quickly, their chests pressed together. They were both taking quick shallow breaths, wide eyes staring into wide eyes. She slowly removed her hand, pressing a finger to his lips. 

“Hide under the covers on the bed,” she whispered as silently as possible, watching him search her face in the darkness before disappearing from her side silently. 

“Tikki, spots off,” she whispered, her heart pounding like mad in her chest. Her transformation released, making her feel more frazzled than ever. Tikki flew off to hide, and Marinette wondered what she would have to say about the situation. Taking a few seconds to breathe, she moved to flip the lights on once Chat had stopped rustling around on her bed. 

“Come in!” she called to her mom, her voice cracking a little. The trapdoor pushed open slowly, revealing her mother’s curious eyes. 

“Everything okay, honey?” she asked, stepping up into her room slowly. Marinette nodded, holding her hands behind her back and playing with them anxiously. 

“Yeah! I was just trying on a new design,” she lied, biting her tongue behind her closed lips. 

“Okay. I just wanted to let you know that your laundry is done,” Sabine said sweetly, glancing around her daughter’s messy room. 

“Oh, thanks Mom,” Marinette smiled, watching her start to go back down the stairs. 

“Head to bed soon, okay sweetie?” her mom said, and Marinette nodded, trying to make her heart stop spasming in her chest. When her mother closed the door, she let out a deep breath, wobbling on her stiff legs for a moment. 

Glancing up to her loft, she felt her stomach twist into knots, wanting to hit herself. Forgetting about her date that night had led to her identity being outed to Chat Noir. She pressed a hand to her forehead, almost wanting to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. 

When she didn’t hear any movement, she furrowed her eyebrows. 

“Chat?” she called as quietly as possible, still not picking up anything. She felt her heart drop, wondering if he was upset. He was probably really mad for a lot of reasons, right? 

Marinette steeled herself, taking a deep breath and starting to climb up to her bed. Her eyes landed on the form of him curled up under her blanket, not moving. She frowned, crawling towards him and putting a hand on the outline of his shoulder. 

“Chat?” she called again softly, but he still didn’t move. She felt a few tears well in her eyes, wishing she’d been more careful. 

She pulled the blanket away from his face slowly, feeling her heart stutter when she saw the giant grin on her boyfriend’s face.

“It was you all along,” he whispered, looking up at her with such a happy look that her frown lifted immediately. When she didn’t say anything, finding herself at a loss when he wasn’t upset, he pulled her down into a tight hug, knocking the breath out of her. 

“You’re so amazing!” he laughed quietly, making the tears in her eyes gather a little more. 

“You’re not angry?” she wondered, trying to release the tension from her body. 

“No! No,” he sighed, pulling away from her to look at her face. “Not at all,” he said, gazing into her eyes with such a soft, delighted look that she almost sobbed. 

Marinette hugged him again, falling back against him and bringing more laughter out of him, the joyous sound echoing all around her. She melted into him, forgetting all about any consequences for the time being and just being happy that her boyfriend wasn’t upset.

After a few more moments, she heard him chuckle to himself. 

“Do you wanna know who _I_ am now?” he asked cheekily, making her snicker a little. She pulled away to see the smirk that she knew would be there, shaking her head through her smile.

“Not quite yet, kitty,” she said, making him laugh a little. Her smile fell just a little when his eyes drifted to her lips and then back up to her eyes. 

“Can I kiss you? I really want to kiss you,” he whispered, making her blush brightly. She nodded, leaning back into him again and seeing him smile right before their lips met. The kiss was short and chaste, but the love she felt coming from him was enough to make her want to squeal. 

When he pulled away, he pressed his forehead against hers, grinning. 

“Now, how about that date?” he said, and she blushed in chagrin, pouting through her smile. 

“Sorry about that,” she replied quietly, making him laugh and hug her again happily. 

“No apologies! Let’s go!” he grinned, helping her up and out onto her balcony once more. 

As Chat scooped her up, she grinned, realizing that her boyfriend was pretty much the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for another late update! this one was super fun to write, and i hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> thank you for all your support, and stay tuned for the final day tomorrow! <3 
> 
> here's my tumblr! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


	31. Day 31 - Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir finds his home somewhere he didn't expect to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by number 50 on [this](https://a-cure-for-writers-block.tumblr.com/post/171530282467/100-dialogue-prompts-to-make-a-reader-swoon) prompt list by [a-cure-for-writers-block](https://a-cure-for-writers-block.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!
> 
> enjoy!

_“Can I see you?”_

The simplicity of the request, the lack of a nickname or a teasing afterword, that was what had her out of her seat in seconds. 

She knew where he would be, traversing the rooftops of Paris swiftly and efficiently as her mind raced with worry. It made her movements quicker and more shaky, but she didn’t want him to be alone for any longer than he had to be. 

When she spotted him, it was obvious he was upset. He was sitting down with his knees pulled up to his chest, and his ears were pressed flat against his hair. 

Chat didn’t move when she arrived, his chin resting on his arms as he stared out at the city. She walked around to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey,” she spoke softly, watching him lift his head like it weighed a ton just to look up at her. 

“Hey,” he replied, his voice hoarse. His eyes were dull and swollen, and her heart ached knowing that he’d been crying by himself. 

Ladybug sat down next to him, crossing her legs and facing him a little, glancing out at the city and waiting for him to speak first. The clouds were hanging low in the sky, giving the whole city of a feeling of gray and cold. 

“Today would have been…” he spoke, his voice faltering. She turned to look at him again, watching him hide his face for a moment and clear his throat. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, letting out a drawn out sigh. 

“Today would have been my mother’s birthday,” he finished, making her heart grow heavy for him. She searched his eyes, pressing her lips together when he looked away from her and sighed again. 

“What did you do last year?” she asked quietly, trying to redirect his mind to a happier place. She’d learned enough about her partner to know that it hadn’t been long since his mother had disappeared. 

She watched as some life returned to his eyes, and he blinked as he relived the memory playing in his mind. 

“She didn’t want to go out, so we stayed inside and baked all day,” he told her. The thought made her smile, thinking about how she had a lot of sweet memories like that with her own parents. 

“She’d wanted to try and make an apple turnover since she’d gone to college, so we tried that first,” he continued, glancing at her and almost smiling. “She chased me around the kitchen when I took one of the apples, and we spilled the flour _everywhere_ ,” he breathed out, letting a gentle smile turn his lips upwards. Ladybug let out a small giggle, tilting her head as she listened. 

“My father suggested a creme brulee next, and,” he started, letting out a breathy chuckle and moving his legs to cross them just like her. “They decided to make it a competition with me as the final judge.” Ladybug grinned, imagining the scene play out in her mind. Even though she didn’t have the memory, just thinking about it left a warm feeling to spread in her chest. 

“Neither of them did very well, but my father’s was the most bitter thing I’ve ever tasted,” Chat smiled, chuckling down at his lap and shaking his head. 

“What else did you try?” she wondered when he paused for a moment. He looked up at her, his smile seeming so soft and genuine. 

“Have you ever tried to make a soufflé?” he asked her, and she chuckled, already knowing where the story was probably going as she nodded. 

“They failed miserably,” he grinned, looking back out at the sky with bright eyes. She watched him, glad that she’d been able to make him smile. 

She could tell when the memory turned sad again, his face falling and his eyes dropping back to his lap. 

“That house hasn’t felt like home since she left,” he said, his voice becoming deeper again. She reached forward and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder again. 

“It must be really hard,” she spoke softly, watching him search her eyes for a moment before ducking his head and nodding. 

“It is,” he said as she pulled her hand back. “I feel trapped in my own house. If I didn’t have this,” he breathed out shakily, making her heart ache again. “I don’t know what I would do.” He looked up at her again, tears pooling in his eyes. 

Ladybug couldn’t help herself. She moved forward and pulled herself against him, wrapping her arms around his middle. She’d gotten so close that she was almost sitting in his lap, but he didn’t seem to mind. He hugged her back, burying his face in her shoulder and bringing her to sit in the space between his legs. 

She listened as he breathed out slowly, her eyes falling closed as she rubbed small circles into his back. 

“Why do I feel like I’m home whenever you’re near me?” he asked in a soft whisper. Her eyes popped open, her heart stuttering just a little. She opened her mouth to reply, but she was speechless for a moment. 

“You do?” she finally got out, biting on her lip when she finished. He hugged her tighter, making her eyebrows pull together on her forehead. 

“Yeah,” he sighed, his chin resting on her shoulder gently. “I feel comfortable to be myself and to relax and just be a teenager,” he said, making her smile despite the heat that had risen into her cheeks. 

“I’ll always be here to be your home,” she told him quietly, feeling his arms loosening from around her. He pulled away from her, moving to look into her eyes closely. His eyes were brighter again, his smile growing the longer he searched her face. 

“Wh-what?” she asked, feeling butterflies scatter in her stomach. He shook his head a little, pulling her back in for a hug and making her blink in surprise. 

“Just let me be at home for a little while longer,” he spoke, the smallest hint of teasing in his voice. She couldn’t think of anything to say to that, pressing her forehead into his shoulder to hide her face. 

She would stay in his arms for as long as he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh!!! it’s been a long and crazy month but i had so much fun! i hope you all enjoyed all the writing and ladynoir feels this month! 
> 
> i can’t thank you enough for all your support and love! your comments always make my day and i read all the tags on your reblogs! you’re all amazing and i hope you all stay safe! 
> 
> i will be participating in AU Yeah August, but I won’t be doing every single prompt! I’ll pick a few here and there, so be on the lookout for that! 
> 
> thank you so much! <3 <3 <3 
> 
> check out my tumblr as well! [macaronsforchat](https://macaronsforchat.tumblr.com/)


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